Spark to a Flame
by assantra
Summary: My version of Season 5. When Stiles is left alone for most of the summer, he decides to make his own fun. Which leads to its own set of consequences and adventures. Very, very slow burn Sterek. Slash. Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N~ My version of Season 5, even though it hasn't happened yet. Very, very slow burn Sterek. Pretty much everyone but Stiles, Lydia and Parrish have left town for the summer. Stiles decides to make his own fun. Which has its own set of consequences. Don't like slash, don't read. ~A**

**Spark to a Flame**

**Chapter 1**

Stiles is sitting on the floor in his room, surrounded by papers and books. For the past several minutes he has been playing wall ball with himself, to say the teen was bored would probably be an insult to boredom.

His phone starts buzzing on his nightstand and he nearly brains himself with the ball, when he misses it trying to scramble for the phone. He looks at the screen quickly before answering, "Hey Lydia, what's up?"

"Stiles," replied the strawberry blond, already sounding annoyed, "I am not having any luck finding out what Jordan is in the bestiary. I was wondering if you had found anything."

"Narrowed it down to about five things," said Stiles going back into his funk when he heard what his supposed friend was asking. Not really surprised though. Lydia and Deputy Parrish had started dating shortly after they had arrived home from Mexico, although for Lydia's moms sensibilities, they weren't calling it dating. They were serious enough that the strawberry blond had decided to throw the older man a surprise birthday party.

"Stiles his birthday is in four days," Lydia said impatiently, "aren't there some tests we can run or something?"

"Yeah sure," Stiles said with his own brand of snark, "If he doesn't mind losing an appendage of his choice or giving a few quarts of blood."

"Lydia it's like Derek said, your boyfriend is a little outside our area of expertise." he said, glancing at the list of possibilities, he had narrowed down for the deputy, "Usually we're more interested in how to defend against other things or possibly kill them. Not identifying them for identity's sake."

"Gee thanks Stiles," Ms. Martin said, and Stiles could mentally see her checking her fingernails, "I was hoping to have this done for him by his birthday."

The teen just barely held in the snarky comment that maybe Lydia should have actually been here helping Stiles do the research. Instead of leaving it for Stiles to do and then taking credit for it at the birthday party as he suspected she planned to do. "Hey, I've even tried to contact Chris Argent to see if he might have some insights into the deputy's supernatural heritage and I still haven't heard back from him. So you're stuck with me."

As soon as they were done with Lydia telling the teen to hurry up and finish the research, she hung up the phone. Stiles went back to being bored.

Normally he might hang out with some members of the lacrosse team, unfortunately all of them were gone. The Coach had arranged a lacrosse camp in Seattle, Washington. So Scott, Kira, Liam, and Mason were all in Seattle and just to make things more annoying, the coach had banned all electronics. No communication except through the pay phone near camp. Needless to say the players usually kept those phone calls for their family members. Stiles didn't begrudge them that, but a message or two through the parents would have been nice.

Stiles would have liked to have gone to the camp, if only to spend time with his friends. Unfortunately due to the added financial strain on his father, he hadn't been able to attend the camp. His father was still receiving therapy for the gun shot wound he had received from Deputy Haigh, so the bills were still piling up. Stiles had searched desperately for a job every day, only to discover that there were no jobs in their small town.

On top of the rehabilitation, his father against doctors orders of course, was once again taking extra shifts at the Sheriff's station to try and cover the bills. Stiles was frustrated and upset that when his father should have been resting and recuperating from his injury he was actually working harder than ever. The only positive was that Agent McCall had been able to quash the investigation into the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department.

Derek and Braeden were AWOL, neither of the two had been seen by their group since Mexico. Lydia of course putting a romantic spin on it, had said they were probably just shacked up somewhere having a romantic interlude. Shacked up was Stiles wording, romantic interlude was Lydia's.

Peter was still residing in Eichen House and they had probably thrown away the key. Malia had visited her father twice, with Stiles in tow of course. At first it had just been Peter and Malia doing the talking. Well mostly Peter apologizing again and Malia listening or maybe not because after the second time, she informed Stiles she was going to hang out in the woods for a while.

Stiles wasn't foolish enough to think that she meant camping. He saw her a few times in her coyote form hanging out around the edge of the woods. She would ignore him when he called out to her, Stiles just hoped she would come back on her own before school started.

On the usual visitation day he went to Eichen House voluntarily and by himself. Something he had promised himself he would never do again. He figured that even Peter deserved to know that apparently his daughter wasn't planning to come back and visit her father. Rather than possibly waiting in the vain hope that she would be coming to visit.

It was as he was sitting in the visitation room waiting for the elder Hale, He decided rather impulsively to continue to visit. He remembered what it was like to sit in this dismal place waiting for someone, anyone to come visit.

Stiles saw Peter's expression fall when he saw Stiles sitting alone at the table waiting for the former werewolf to come through for the visit. "Hey Creeper," the teen's jibe sounded lame even to his own ears.

The wolfs smirk didn't reach his eyes as he replied, "I take it my paternal dues are considered paid and she sent you to let me know?"

As much as he tried to hide it even Stiles heard the grief in the elder Hale's voice, "She didn't send me no, but she's decided to spend the rest of summer getting back to nature so to speak," he said as he looked around at the several orderlies moving between the visitation tables.

"Sort of figured it might be something like that," Peter said as he started to rise. "Thank you for letting me know Stiles. You are an exceptional human being," and then he leaned forward and whispered, "You would have made an even better wolf though."

"You don't have to leave, you know?" Stiles said quickly. "I thought you might like to talk or something. Unless you have something more pressing to do?"

Peter Hale was startled, that much was shown on his face before he regained his composure and his face smoothed out into its usual bland expression. "Well this is Arts and Crafts hour, but a little stimulating conversation does sound infinitely more entertaining than putting foam and paper flowers into little plastic jug baskets." The former was said as he sat back down at the table.

His movements drew the attention of one of the guards and Peter lowered his head submissively. Stiles however gave the hulky orderly a steady gaze, he only smirked to himself when the other man looked away deferentially. The pair had talked about TV, (Peter hated reality TV, but loved the forensic based cop shows). Stiles told him about trying to discover what type of supernatural creature Parrish might be. Peter suggested a few reference materials he might try. Favorite foods, curly fries, pizza, and Twizzlers for Stiles, Peter preferred Reese cups, venison steaks, and a particularly good curry.

Stiles of course also used the time during these meetings to pick the Omega's brain The golden wolfs bane had taken the wolves power but it was possible that at some time his powers would come back. Even if they didn't though Stiles and Peter both knew his station in the pack hierarchy was changed. He would be lucky if he would still be considered a member of the Hale/McCall Pack if he managed to ever get out of Eichen House.

Stiles asked him questions about pack hierarchy and rituals, Extracted information on creatures that weren't even in the bestiary. He also began creating his own Bestiary, computerized of course, from information he had gotten from the Argent Bestiary and from Peter and other sources.

Truthfully though their interactions were mostly friendly with a little "business" mixed in. It was several visits later that Peter explained to Stiles, "I knew that you and Malia weren't going to last long."

When Stiles had widened his eyes in shock and started to stutter a response, the Creeper wolf raised his hands in a pacifying gesture and said, "Not your fault, I know. Let me just say, I've known you were bi for a while, my boy. It's fine, wolves don't judge unless they were born during a more strict time period and then we usually grow out of being a prude fairly soon."

He pretended to be divulging a great secret behind his hand as he continued, "Don't let the human historians fool you. Truth is the werewolves were the original hippies," he said with a smirk. He raised the King-sized Reese's cups and the book of Wordsworth poetry, "With a few notable exceptions we were very much their predecessors."

"Except of course we had better taste, we were better read, and had much better hygiene." he said with a smirk, adding, "Fleas as a wolf is one thing, while in your human form is another matter entirely."

Stiles had laughed so hard his ribs ached and tears were streaming down his cheeks. He had ended up leaning on his elbows on the table while several of the orderlies were staring at the table warningly but the boy ignored their gazes, Peter leaned forward from his relaxed sprawl as the boys laughter was finally winding down and said, "So Stiles, how long have you known you had a crush on my nephew?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N~ Thank you to everyone who faved, followed and reviewed. Your all incredible and I hope you keep it up. You have no idea how encouraging it is. Or maybe you do as here is the second chapter already. Still pretty much Stiles centric here. Enjoy! ~A**

**Spark to a Flame-Chapter 2 **

"I don't like it, Stiles. He has already tried to kill several of your friends on a number of occasions. I don't understand why you're visiting him." John Stillinski said as he pulled his holster on.

"I do it because I think it's what Malia would want," Stiles lied before continuing with the rest of his reasoning, "He is her father after all. I do it because he has a lot of knowledge, that we will probably need at some point. Especially if things keep going the way they are,"

"You know something I don't?" the Sheriff asked suspiciously.

"What? No dad," Stiles said with a hint of exasperation, "I'm just saying things have been popping up around here faster than popcorn in a microwave. If things keep going the way they are, we'll have gone through the Argents bestiary and then some before we graduate."

"God, I forgot for a second this is your senior year," his dad said while rubbing his jaw tiredly with his palm, flinching subtly at the pull in the still healing muscle.

Stiles gave a wan smile as he knew his father was imagining the additional expense of senior year. Not to mention the potential of college. They both pretended it didn't matter as Stiles continued, "Plus, I remember what it's like to be locked up in that place. You feel like you're all alone, even if you're not. That nobody cares, even if they do. You're afraid you might hurt somebody even if it's just yourself…Other things. I swore I would never let anyone I knew feel like that ever." He looked up at his father and said, "I don't care if it is Peter fracking Hale." he said with a twist of his lips.

John looked down with a twist of his own lips as he said with a sigh, "Alright son, alright. Listen I have to work a long shift this evening. Won't be home until tomorrow afternoon. So don't worry about dinner for me, okay?" Father and son hugged and the Sheriff left soon afterwards.

**~X~**

The woman followed the driver off of the bus. She was the only one getting off at Beacon Hills. The heat of the afternoon sun was surprisingly mild for the middle of summer in California. For which both driver and passenger were grateful, as the driver struggled to get her two bags out of the luggage hold of the bus.

Finally he managed to get the blue bag and the larger red bag out of the bin and handed them over to the brunette. He tipped his hat politely and said, "Ma'am."

Before climbing back into the bus to wait, some of the other passengers had gotten off to take a bathroom break or stretch their legs.

The woman walked inside and went to the information counter, "Good morning," she said to the woman behind the counter, "Do you have a map of the area?"

"Of course," said the woman reaching over to a small stand of maps next to her. Pulling one out she opened it and said, as she put a red dot on a corner, "this is where we are right now."

The brunette pulled out a couple of business cards and between the two of them found the places on the map. The helpful clerk received a thank you and a smile and promptly forgot the woman she had just been helping.

The woman walked into a hotel three blocks from the bus station. She checked in and dropped off her duffle bags and putting up the do not disturb sign. She sketched a design in the air in front of the doorknob.

Then hitched her purse up on her shoulder, she walked five more blocks to reach a real estate agents office. She walked in and two hours later walked back out with the head agent who helped her into his car before walking to the other side quickly and sliding in behind the wheel.

The pair drove to the courthouse and treating her like she was either the golden goose or made of spun glass, the realtor walked her into the courthouse. An hour later the realtor drove her back to his office, they shook hands and then as if she had just thought of it she turned back and asked him for a list of rentals.

The balding man ducked into his office and came back with a sheet of addresses for the brunette. Then for good measure he shook her hand again and said, "Thank you for your business Ms. Spenser."

"Thank you Mr. Lewis, have a good weekend." she said before turning and walking back to the hotel. The woman looked around and made a different symbol in front of the door and unlocked the door before stepping inside.

**~X~**

Stiles had found a bottle of Jack Daniels that his father had stashed in the dining room. The teen had decided to take the alcohol and go do something he hadn't really done since before all of this started. Get drunk.

He put the alcohol in his book bag along with a sleeping bag and a couple of sandwiches, a bag of chips and a couple of bottles of water. He got in his Baby and headed into the woods. He wasn't too ashamed to say that he was hiding from his dad and his deputies as he took the back roads to the Preserve.

He drove about halfway up the old rutted road that led to what had once been the Hale House. Then got out and hiked the rest of the way to the Nemeton. He laid out his sleeping bag and supplies and flopped down beside the tree.

"Well Nemee, it's just you and me, I guess." Stiles said as he took a swig of the fiery liquid. He remembered the last time he was here. Shortly after everything had pretty much gone to hell.

He thought about everything that had happened since then. Scott had been bitten by Peter. Derek had bitten Isaac, Erica, and Boyd. Killing Peter, and then there was the Kanima, and Jackson becoming part of the Pack for a hot second before heading off to London. Getting beat up by Grandpa Argent, oh yeah lets not forget that. Lydia becoming an unofficial part of the Pack.

The Alpha Pack killing Erica and Boyd. The Darach and Scott becoming an Alpha,. Being possessed by the Nogitsune, yeah that one definitely deserved two swallows of the whiskey. Allison and Aiden dying and once again two more swallows. This time though the burning in his gut wasn't just from the whiskey.

He had heard all the platitudes about it not being him. That it wasn't him, but at least in part it was. He was in the Nogitsune as much as it was in him and he still wondered if he had been stronger maybe he could have controlled it. Maybe he could have prevented their deaths.

Scott, Derek, even his dad. thought he was getting over it. He wasn't getting over it, he was just getting better at acting. He was getting better at acting like the deaths didn't bother him. That losing people he cared about didn't bother him. That people leaving didn't bother him. The fact that people only wanted him around for research or strategy sessions,, didn't bother him.

That it didn't bother him that Jackson and Isaac left. Ethan had left too, and while it didn't bother him as much as the others. It had bothered Danny. Danny who he had confided in about thinking he might be bi. The fellow lacrosse player had confessed to Stiles that he thought he might have made a mistake in letting the former Alpha werewolf leave. Shortly after that Danny had disappeared and Stiles had missed the other teen but was also happy that his friend had been brave enough to go after what he wanted.

"Unlike me, the pasty faced skin and bone coward. Who can't even go after the guy…wolf that he wants. Even if I did get the balls," he said laughing as angry tears streamed down his face, "Someone or something always happens." Stiles says as he runs his fingers run along the textured surface of the top of one of the roots of the tree.

He sighs as he puts the still open bottle down beside him among the roots of the tree. Leaning back against the side of the tree he whispers. "Wishes are a waste of time."

"No they're not," said a voice out of the darkness. Stiles looked blearily over at the edge of the moonlit woods where the voice had come from. A woman with brown wavy hair, was walking out of the woods toward him. The moonlight streaked her hair as she made her way across the clearing toward him.

"Whaa..?" Yeah and now was when the alcohol kicked in. When the strange woman came out of the woods. Life and the horror movies taught him that this was when he probably got eaten and not in a good way. For some reason the panic, the fight or flight…okay mostly flight instinct that had served him well over the years, just didn't kick in.

"You said, "wishes are a waste of time/" But they're not, not always. You just have to know when to make the wish." she said with a smile. Then spying the whiskey bottle among the roots of the tree, she smiled even bigger showing teeth this time. No fangs just normal every day teeth as she said, "You brought gifts," and took her own swallow of the whiskey and coughed and sputtered and said, "Oh yeah smooth."

Stiles laughed, he couldn't help it. He liked this strange woman. "I'm Mary by the way," she said.

"Stiles," he replied automatically, then said, "Isn't that kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy?"

"Oh you are very clever even when your three sheets to the wind," then she looked at the bottle and said, "or is it four?"

"Prob"ly three and a half," the teen slurred a little.

She laughed again and he smiled at the husky sound of it. Then he heard the sound of liquid pouring out on the ground and saw her pouring some of the Jack Daniels on the roots of the tree.

Stiles tried to reach for the bottle and missed as he cried, "Hey don't waste it."

"Not wasting, sharing, you've been sharing secrets with my old friend here. I figured it was only right that you shared the libations too, right." Mary said indicating over his shoulder with her chin.

Stiles tried to look over his shoulder to see who she was talking about, but all he could see was the Nemeton. He said getting back to the previous conversation, "Nope," popping the p, "my wishes never come true. I wished my Mom would get better, she died. I wished for something interesting to happen, my friend got bit… got into trouble. I wished people would be safe and they died. See I'm bad luck." he said, with a morose little bark of a laugh.

"Then I'd say, that your lucks about to change, Stiles." Mary said, as she put the cap back on the bottle of amber colored liquid and held it up by his face for a moment. Seeming to compare the color of the liquid with the color of his eyes.

"What? Why?" Stiles said in confusion as the woman tucked the bottle back among the roots.

She smiled and stroked her finger down his nose and said, "Because the Nemeton likes you of course."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Stiles squinted his eyes open, then slammed them closed again as he realized he wasn't in his own room. Plus if the large jagged dagger slamming through his head repeatedly was any indication, he was severely hung-over. The sunlight coming through the blinds on the window didn't help.

He inched his way across the bed so that he was at least out of the blinding sunlight before he tried to sit up and that was done in increments. His mouth felt like a heavy wool sock complete with the dead sheep still attached.

He turned to face away from the window and saw a glass of water with a folded piece of paper leaned against it. Setting that as his goal, the teen did an incredibly slow shimmy to sit up beside the nightstand. Finally with a long drawn out pitiful sounding groan. He pulled the note toward him. That's when he uncovered a baggie that included several toiletries and a tube of pain killers.

The note read, _"Stiles,_

_Take the pain killers, drink all of the water and take a long hot shower and then a short cold one. It will help. By the time you get out I should have some breakfast and clean clothes for you. _

_Be careful kiddo. Back soon, _

_Mary."_

Stiles flipped the covers back and discovered he was only wearing his boxers. Just like that Stiles went into serial killer mode, anyone this nice to a strange teenager had to be a serial killer. He started to stand up concerned that Mary would be back at any minute with a fire axe from down the hall. When he really should have been more concerned with the demonic dwarves and their pickaxes as they were digging for light in various areas of his brain.

He breathed through his teeth for a minute before taking the tube of pain killers and shaking two out into his palm. He popped them into his mouth and swallowed half the glass in almost one swallow. He paused for just a second as his stomach protested at the addition of anything.

Waiting a couple of minutes longer for his stomach to settle, the teen looked around the hotel room for his missing clothes. After he checked all of the drawers and the closet in the small hotel room for any sign of his missing clothes. His shoes sat on the floor at the foot of the bed, no socks in sight.

His belt and the contents of his pockets sat on the dresser. The contents of his wallet were all still there, including the XXL condom he kept tucked under the picture section of his wallet. Not that he missed it at all right now but the remainder of the bottle of Jack was missing, even though he didn't remember finishing the amber colored liquid off last night.

Finally smelling his own armpit and his own breath Stiles decided despite his innate paranoia that there was a very real reason to take the recommended shower. So grabbing the small bag of toiletries and the surprisingly large and thick bath sheet laid out on the foot of the bed he went into the bathroom.

**~X~**

He had just finished up and was coming out of the bathroom with the bath sheet toweling his hair dry when he realized Mary was back and setting things out on the table. She turned to him and the streak of her hair that he had thought was moonlight was actually a streak of gray.

"Ah just in time, good." she said picking up a bag of clothes off the foot of the other bed and handing it to him. "I went by the sizes and style of your own clothes, so they should fit fairly well. Breakfast can wait a bit while you get dressed," she said shooing him back in the direction of the bathroom.

Nodding Stiles held onto the bath sheet with one hand and the bag of clothes with the other as he said, " Yeah, I'm just going to …" he said sheepishly, indicating the bathroom. The woman just smiled benignly as the teen ducked into the bathroom. Feeling brave Stiles left the door open just a crack so he could ask, "Where are my clothes?"

"Your others are at the hotel laundry, I'm having them done and they'll deliver them to the room later. Despite the excellence of your fake ID. I really find it hard to believe that you're 32. So you smelling like you spilled more of the Jack than you drank, probably wouldn't have gone over well."

"Yeah, no probably not." Stiles said, blushing to his ear tips despite the fact she couldn't see him. As he proceeded to drop the bath sheet and get dressed.

"So Stiles how well do you know the local area?" she called through the door.

His response was muffled as he was struggling to get the t-shirt over his head. After another minute he came out of the bathroom still barefooted. He sat on the foot of the bed to put on socks and his trainers, when he saw her still curious expression he realized she hadn't heard him and repeated, "I've lived here for as long as I can remember, why?" He said as he finished tying his shoes.

Mary indicated the food she had set out on the table and said, "Shall we?" Stiles would have been proud to say he didn't rush the table to stuff his face and suddenly growling stomach, if it were true. Unfortunately, his mother would have been embarrassed at his sudden lack of table manners.

Mary only laughed and said, "Greasy food and coffee are great follow ups to an after binge hangover"

The teen merely shrugged as he consumed four breakfast biscuits, a pile of hash browns, all the bacon, and two hearty slices of French toast. While sipping the second cup of rich smelling coffee.

"Ah to have that metabolism again," the older woman sitting beside him at the little dining table in the room said, with a little smirk. "Is your name really Stiles Stillinski?"

"Yeah well, nickname really. My real name is a state secret" he said the blush tingeing his ears again.

"That's good actually. Keeping your name a secret is good. Names have power you know." she said wisely. "You seem fairly intelligent Stiles. So can I ask why you were in the woods alone, getting bombed in the middle of the night?"

He shrugged again using a fork to make patterns in the syrup left on his plate from the French toast as he said, "Oh you know, bored, frustrated…"

"Feeling sorry for yourself…" Mary supplied helpfully.

"Yeah, maybe," Stiles said dropping the fork as he finally worked up the courage to stare the woman in the eyes.

Mary nodded and said, "Well I don't know about the frustrated part and I'm not going to pry. You can tell me when you want to, but I think I can help with the boredom part, and you can make a little money as well."

The suspicion was back and the teens eyes and rather than being sorry to see it Mary was glad. It meant that despite the events of the previous evening the boy had a healthy survival instinct.

"I need an assistant, I'm offering you the position." her smile turned into a smirk as she added, "I promise I can make your employment package a competitive one. Just one thing. How in the know are you about the supernatural?"

Stiles eyes went wide, his pupils blown in panic, before he managed to squeak out, "Oh, I love that show."

"Good comeback," she nodded her head in approval, "You hesitated just a second too long though. Don't worry, whoever it is you know, I mean them no harm." she said mildly.

"You however, are another matter entirely. Stiles has anyone ever referred to you as a Spark?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The teen actually stuttered this time and the woman snorted as he tried to choke down a swallow of the cooling coffee. "Stiles, relax. Breathe for heavens sake. I'm guessing yes, and I'm guessing from your reaction that it might have made you a target in the past. Either that or the fact that you have supernatural friends may have done so. One or both." she said with a gentle smile.

She waited for a bit for him to calm down, hoping he wouldn't bolt from the room in a panic. When he settled, which actually took several minutes as he seemed to talk himself down from a straight up panic attack, before he spoke, "Actually, no. I mean yes I was told what it was but they told me I wasn't a Spark. That I was just a regular human. I can barely put down a line of mountain ash."

"Who told you that?" she demanded incredulously. The boy didn't answer, so she said with a gentle smile. "Let me see your hand for a minute."

She offered her own hand for him to put his hand in. With a clearly suspicious look, the teen cleaned his fingers on a paper napkin and extended his left hand, palm up to her.

She studied his palm intently for several minutes. Her fingers stroked over his palm and his fingers thoughtfully. "Hm you have a very powerful spark but it seems to be blocked or…bound maybe. Let's see. Powerful spirit, which they couldn't bind. Excellent air and water too although you've never actively used them. Fire and earth need a lot of work though."

Then she took his hand in hers and said, "Close your eyes, Stiles." He did so reluctantly and she said, "Think of your friends, your family. People you've loved, cared about, people you've lost. Think about how much you care about them, love them. How much you want to protect them from every threat and harm you've ever faced," her voice was soothing and hypnotic. She drew her hand away from his and then said, "Open your eyes Stiles."

Her smile grew wider as she saw his eyes flame and then go solid black. "Beautiful," and then indicated he should look at his palm. The teen did and jumped slightly. Floating about an inch above his palm was a ball of pale pink energy about three inches across. Lights and traces of current leapt and danced throughout the little ball as it floated there. Electric blue, golden yellow, and in smaller degrees neon red and vibrant green. Plasma white and purple mixed with traces of black.

"You're doing this," Stiles said breathlessly.

"Nope, that's all you kiddo…and that's you untrained and partially bound." She said putting her chin in her palm as she gazed at him instead of the little ball of energy and she added, "Imagine yourself unbound and with training."

He started to raise his now trembling hands to his face and then looked at her sheepishly as the orb of energy remained and asked, "Uhm, how do I…"

She closed her fist and flicked her wrist to demonstrate and watched as the young man mimicked her movements with surprising grace. Dispelling the orb on the first try.

She clapped her hands a couple of times in approval, "A natural talent, wonderful. I sensed that someone else has assessed you and gave you just enough instruction to get you in trouble or worse get you killed. When I meet them they will find themselves on the wrong side of my sharp tongue and be blessed if a good tongue lashing is all I give them." she said determinedly and gave a single sharp nod.

"Now as I said, besides being my assistant, I want you to be my apprentice. I'm going to teach you to use and develop your spark so that you can protect yourself and the people you care about. Maybe even fight beside' them when the time comes. Would that be of some interest to you, Mr. Stillinski?"

Stiles whiskey colored eyes lit up and then dimmed as he asked, "This isn't going to be some kind of deal with the devil type situation is it?"

She actually laughed and said, "I'm not that old young man…no. No soul stealing, life sucking or anything like that."

"We're going to start with an unbinding ritual before we get into much more. Before we start this though I don't want you to miss out on time with your friends and family." she said firmly, "I want you to be as much a regular teenager as is possible around here."

"That's not going to be a problem right now," Stiles replied a little morosely, "All of my friends are gone or otherwise occupied for the summer. My dad is the Sheriff and working way to hard this summer."

"Well that's good for the training but I'm sorry you're not able to spend time with them." She said solemnly, "When school starts, school work and activities come before training, but you will train Stiles, and probably hate me for how hard you work."

The boy nodded eagerly as he finished eating. "Now what about this job? I need to find out what I'm going to be doing for you." he said as he glanced over at her. His eyes fell on the newspaper she had brought in this morning. His eyes skimmed over the paper and then he pulled it closer.

"Well can you drive?" Mary asked. The boy nodded his head absently as he studied the paper.

"You know the town and the people in it, that in itself will be a great help to me." she continued, "I'll also pay you well for your time." Noticing he still didn't seem to be paying much attention to her especially considering he was the one who had asked for the information. She asked, "Is something wrong? You seem a little distracted."

Without a word the younger man turned the newspaper so she could see the headline.

"_**Dismembered Body Found in Hill Pointe Area"**_

"Yeah so the unbinding right now and class to start as soon as possible." she said, sighing she added, "Looks as if I've arrived just in time."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was still mid-morning when they headed back to the Preserve to pick up Stile's Jeep. Then he drove them to the Sheriff's station by way of his Dad's favorite greasy spoon, emphasis on _greasy._

Stiles ordered his dad's favorite take out meal, and they ordered some iced tea before sitting down to enjoy the relative coolness of the air conditioning while waiting for the food to be prepared. Stiles explained what he called his plan of attack.

"So I've had my dad on a diet to keep him healthy. Cause he's my dad you know, I want to keep him around." the young man explained as they sat together and Mary saw the hint of fear in Stiles eyes and recognized a child afraid of losing both parents, "Sometimes I do let him splurge, you know for holidays, his birthday, that sort of thing. Just not often."

"So the country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried onion rings and lemon cake are basically a version of culinary bribery to get him to agree to letting me hire you and train you, I take it?" Mary asked with a smirk on her face.

Stiles got a serious kind of embarrassed look on his face, "It sounds really bad when you say it like that."

"No, not bad, a little devious maybe, but not bad."

He gave a little embarrassed laugh and said, "I'm not sure my dad is gonna agree with you on that."

"Maybe not but I'm pretty sure he'll appreciate the effort," as the waitress placed the delicious smelling take out bag in front of them she added, "Matter of fact I'm pretty sure he'll enjoy it immensely."

The pair laugh together as they finished their tea and leave a tip on the table before heading out to Stiles Jeep. As he's getting into the Jeep Stiles receives a text from Lydia asking if he's made any progress on the search for Parrish's identity.

The teen huffs in exasperation as he slams the door to his baby a little harder than he intended. "Something wrong?" Mary asks at the sudden change in the teens mood.

"I have this friend Lydia, she's a Banshee. Don't tell her I told you." he added, "Anyway she has a supernatural boyfriend, who doesn't know what kind of supernatural he is. She wanted me to find out for his birthday, I've managed to narrow it down but not as much as I would like." the young man said as he pulled out of the small parking lot and made his way to the Sheriff's station.

"Does he not have any family who could help him find out?" Mary asked as Stiles took a turn carefully, trying not to jostle his dads food and iced tea too much.

"No from what he says, he's an orphan and apparently wasn't old enough when they died to be told about a family history of…super-naturalness?"

They arrive at the station and actually run into Parrish on the way to the Sheriff's station and he tells them, "Sorry Stiles the Sheriff is out on a call right now but you can wait in his office if you want," he offered.

Parrish follows them into the Sheriffs office, Stiles places his phone on the edge of his fathers desk as he moves around the precariously stacked files that cover the surface of the desk. Reaching the one clear spot on his fathers desk he begins to set out the contents of the take out bag.

When once again his phone starts vibrating to let him know he was getting another text. The phone actually vibrates itself right off the desk. Parrish reaches down to pick the phone up and seeing the screen asks, "Why's Lydia calling you, Stiles?"

Stiles knows but figuring the whole thing is a secret flounders for a believable lie. The deputy seeing the boys distress decides to set his mind at ease and says, "Stiles, its okay, I know."

Stiles shakes his head in shock and confusion and replies, "She told you I was looking up what you are?"

"What…no I was talking about the surprise party… Have you figured it out yet?" the deputy asked.

"No…not yet. there are tests we can try, but they involve uh some dismemberment." the teen said with a decided squeamish air. The deputy's face fell.

"Stiles you could try the other thing that we were talking about." Mary suggested. Parrish and Stiles both looked over at her as if they only just remembered that she was still in the office.

"What? I'm sorry who are you again?" Parrish asked as he glanced around nervously.

Stiles said, "This is Mary. She's in the know about the supernatural and," looking over at Mary doubtfully he asked, "Are you sure I can do this?"

"What are we talking about?" Parrish asked looking between the two.

"There might be a way that we can find out what you are without chopping anything off." she offered helpfully.

"So why doesn't Stiles look happy about it?" asked the deputy worriedly.

"Stiles is nervous and he's never tried this before." she replied honesty and then added, "Personally I thought you'd be more thrilled about the no dismembering needed part of it."

Parrish merely shrugged as Mary closed the door to the tiny office, "Yeah well you burn to a cinder and then come back to life fully formed it kind of makes you a little blasé' about bits and pieces being chopped off."

Stiles came from around he desk with a nervous breath and asked, "What do I do?"

"Take his hand. You can make it like a handshake if you want," Mary offered helpfully. The two men clasped hands firmly and she continued, "Now Stiles close your eyes and relax. You are in a pitch black room, no light coming from anywhere. You know you are safe. Parrish is there with you, you can feel him there. Its safe."

"Be careful now keep your eyes closed, cause the lights about to come on and its going to be very bright. When the light comes on we're going to do a three count so your eyes can adjust to the bright light. You're going to look at Parrish deeply and tell me what you see." Mary asked, "Ready? Okay, 1...2...3...and open your eyes."

Stiles opens his eyes and is studying Parrish deeply. "Huh…," he said thoughtfully, "oh wow…whoa." With that he drops the deputies hand and jumps back knocking a couple of files off the Sheriffs crowded desk

Ignoring the files Mary steps forward to grasp the teens arm supportively and asked, "What did you see Stiles?"

"There was this thing… kind of smallish but man shaped and shadowy… wrapped around just under his rib cage." he said in an agitated way, he looked around and seemed to be frustrated at the lack of space, "It looked hollow and shadowy with flames on the inside and when I was looking at it…it kind of turned around and looked back at me."

Mary's expression lightened, "Excellent description Stiles, you have a fine eye for details. I think I know what this is. Deputy have you been to the Middle East recently?"

The Deputy seemed to suddenly stiffen into a more military stance as he replied, "Yes ma'am, well a few years ago now."

"Tell us what you can about the last time you were there, Jordan is it?" asked the older woman.

"Can't tell you where, but we, my crew and I were in a small village. Most of the locals had headed into the desert as the insurgents got closer. There was a woman and her two little kids. A girl about fourteen and a boy he was five or six. The woman's husband had been killed a couple of months before fighting off the insurgents. The woman and girl were sick with some kind of fever."

He took a deep breath as he relived the uncomfortable memories. "The company medic was treating the two women and the boy Aurvat. He kinda took a liking to me, followed me around. We got word that we had a small group of incoming insurgents, they advised us to bug out but we didn't want to leave them behind and the woman couldn't be moved We decided to stay."

His breathing had become ragged as he spoke, "The intel was bad of course, they had heavy artillery, a well armed group of about fifty. I was protecting the family. Then an artillery shell hit close to our position. Don't remember anything after that until I woke up in hospital with the news I was being shipped back home. They didn't think I was going to live to make it home. That's how bad it was."

"Found out later, I was the only survivor, they never said what happened to the family. Military's not that concerned with the native casualties. By the time they were finished filling out my discharge paperwork I was almost completely healed. The docs called it a straight up miracle." He looked at the pair for a second and then looking at the floor said self-deprecatingly, "Guess we know better now, huh?"

The older woman lifted his chin and said, "Thank you for your service and that courage has nothing to do with your hitch hiker deputy." Then looking over at the teen Mary said, "Yeah I'm pretty convinced I know what it is. Stiles can you check behind the deputies ears. You'll know what you're looking for when you find it."

Stiles looked a little uncomfortable but did as he was told. Checking the left ear first and found nothing, then he looked behind the other ear and said, "There's a scratch…no that's…what is that? It's like a slit or something back here." he said curiously.

"Yeah, I thought so. That's going to take a little more study and you'll need to decide afterwards if you want to get it out of your body but you're not naturally supernatural Deputy Parrish." Stiles gave a bark of laughter and even Parrish had to give a little half laugh/half cough. Mary thought back over what she had just said and merely shook her head as she continued, "You're being possessed by a jinn."

"You mean like a genie? Three wishes and all?" Stiles asked hopefully.

"No, genies are made up, jinns are real. Jinns are a race of shadowy spirits who can take physical form sometimes. When they're in their physical form they're vulnerable to sickness and harm but in their spirit form. They're pretty invincible and powerful."

The woman said thoughtfully as Stiles bent down to pick up the files he had knocked off earlier. "Have to do a little more research to find out more but that's what I remember. Like I said Stiles described them perfectly. I think a summoning spell to ask it a few questions would confirm what I remember."

"The slit behind your ear is probably part of the injuries you sustained during that battle that didn't heal and the jinn crawled in through there" Mary continued to explain.

When they heard Stiles make a pained noise. The pair turned to see the teen leaning heavily against his fathers desk as he studied the file he was looking at with a horrified expression on his face. He looked up at them and said, "Parrish you need to call my dad and have him come back now." He turned the file to show them it was the autopsy results from the body they had pulled from Hill Pointe.

"This describes scars to either side of the chest and a tattoo to the left hip. The tattoo was of a blue eyed tribal wolf and a tribal dolphin wrapped into an infinity symbol. I know that tattoo Lydia drew it for him, just before he left he had it done." There were tears in Stiles eyes as he said, "This is Danny, this was my friend."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

John Stilinski despite his sons reassurances that the food wasn't going to be taken away. Did his best to make it disappear before his son changed his mind and the forbidden fried goodness was snatched from him. He'd give Derek Hale a run for his money for apex predator of the year.

Stiles just shook his head and explained to his father how he knew the body found in a shallow leaf covered grave was Danny. He explained about the scars and that the tattoo was one that Lydia had actually drawn a couple of weeks before the other teen had supposedly left Beacon Hills, a little over a year ago.

He watched his son who was obviously upset by the death of his friend. It made him remember how many friends Stiles had lost over the past several years. John Stilinski, as a father, hated to say it but considering everything they had gone through he was actually glad. Glad that his son hadn't become so jaded that the death of a friend was still something to mourn and not something to be expected with living in Beacon Hills.

"Okay wait go back, that doesn't make sense though. The coroner said that the body was desiccated like it had been in the desert for several years before it was even buried out there." Then he looked up at Mary and before he could ask, "Sorry to disappoint you Sheriff but I only arrived by bus yesterday, from Boston." Then offering her hand she said, "Mary Spenser by the way, pleased to meet you even if this is a sad time."

Stiles had left it to Parrish to tell the Sheriff about his hitch hiker. So far the deputy had kept quiet about what they had just learned a few minutes prior to his fathers return. The teen figured that it was Jordan's right to keep the secret if he wanted.

Jordan did say, "Sir, I think we should keep the identity of the victim to ourselves until such time as we determine the manner of death and whether it has anything to do with the supernatural."

At the word supernatural the Sheriffs head whipped around to face Mary. Who was sure the poor man would have neck pains if not an actual case of whip lash if this kept up, "Don't worry I'm in the know about the supernatural. And again didn't arrive in town until yesterday."

The Sheriff looked immensely relieved as he told the deputy to draft a press release refusing to identify the victim until such time as the next of kin could be notified. Parrish agreed and left the small office closing the door behind him as he did.

Stilinski Sr. was nearly finished with the food bribe when Stiles said, "Dad there are some other things that I need to tell you." The Sheriff was gravely disappointed to have his lemon cake suddenly begin to taste like cardboard.

"Okay," he said bracing himself mentally as he looked expectantly at his son.

"Ms. Spenser has asked me to be her assistant. She's bought some property and wants me to help find and hire some of the local people to work out there. She also needs a driver and stuff but she wanted to meet you first. So you didn't think she was a serial killer or something…and that joke would have gone over a lot better if this hadn't happened."

The Sheriff could admit he was also grateful for the woman who had placed a hand on his sons shoulder in a silent show of support and comfort as he crumbled a little. "That's great son, I'm actually kind of happy for you. I figured you'd be at loose ends with Scott not being around."

"Dad there's a few other things…" Stiles said with significantly more trepidation. "I'm a Spark."

When his father continued to stare at him expectantly Stiles was relieved. For a short time he had been afraid that his father would confess to knowing he or his mother were sparks. The thought of his parents binding his powers even after realizing how dangerous Beacon Hills was had made him nearly sick with disillusionment.

"Dad, a spark is a person who has a natural ability to do magic. Usually they don't know they have it and they go through life thinking they're really lucky or just have a whole lot of weird shit happen to them." His kid gave a weak chuckle and said, "Guess we know which category I fall into, huh?"

"Stiles," his father said in a tone that was equal parts guilt and concern. He actually saw the woman, Mary, squeeze his son's shoulder from where he was sitting at the desk. He stood up and moved around to the front of the desk so that he could lean against the front.

The teen took a few minutes to collect himself all the guilt, sorrow, and yes anger could clearly be seen on his face. Finally drawing a deep breath and bracing himself he said, "Ms. Spenser is going to teach me how to use my Spark."

Even though he tried hard to hide it he couldn't quite cover the suspicion that came into his eyes. "Ok, no offense to Ms. Spenser, but why didn't you ask Dr. Deaton?" he asked thoughtfully, "He's supposed to be a Druid, or something right?"

"I already did," Stiles said flatly, "He basically told me I didn't have a Spark to speak of, not enough to bother with." Then the young man closed his eyes, sensing what he was about to do Mary moved around the room closing the blinds quickly. By the time she was done so was the teenager. Above his hand floated a slightly smaller energy ball, only about two inches across. The mixture of energies within it were no less varied or intense though.

Son gazed at father intently as he said, "This is the third time today I've done something like this, I think he was mistaken don't you?" He copied the closing of the fist and the flicking motion and the energy was dismissed back into him and the atmosphere. "I need someone who can actually focus on me, teaching me to do this dad. Mary has already said she would."

"She just said that she has business here that she's going to be taking care of, how do you even know she'll have time to…" his father started.

Mary interrupted, "Because I asked him Sheriff. For this, I will _make_ the time." she said the words as if she were making a vow.

"I have a feeling," Stiles said, his eyes distant with memory and grief. "That if Deaton knew this and had trained me. Before the Alpha's, before the Nogitsune, before the Oni and the Darach. Erica and Boyd would still be alive, the sacrifices Jennifer made would still be alive, the people the Oni killed would still be alive. Allison and Aiden would still be alive and the Nogitsune would have found it a lot harder to use me like a puppet."

Stiles shook his head, trying to clear it of the memories that were plaguing him, he looked at his father and continued, "I don't know why he didn't see it, but I'm willing to give Deaton the benefit of the doubt and say that he just missed it. I'll try to forgive him for that but I'm not going to forget it. Anymore than I'm going to forget where the fault lies in the other deaths that happened."

"If I can help it, there aren't going to be anymore deaths, and I'm going to make sure there aren't anymore, part of that is learning how to use this power." When Stiles saw his father open his mouth to say something he raised his hand and the trio in the room flinched, when a crackle of static electricity ran through the broom closet sized space as he snapped, rather more loudly than he intended, "No Dad." before he continued only slightly softer, "Mary is teaching me and that's final."

Stiles turned and left the office to find one of the new deputies and the new receptionist staring at him. Mary who had followed him out of the office, catches his arm and leads him out of the station quickly.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Once they're back in the Jeep Stiles puts his keys in the ignition and Mary promptly takes them back out. The young man doesn't even argue he just scowls at her as he gets his breathing back under control.

When he seems to have improved she asks carefully, "So you don't think it was an accident that Deaton didn't notice your spark?"

The question was almost rhetorical but he answered anyway, "No I don't and yes I think it's very possible that Deaton is the one who bound my powers, though I don't know how, when, or what the hell he was thinking."

They sat in the hot Jeep for a few more minutes before Stiles said thoughtfully, "What's involved in a binding?"

"I take it you mean what do you need?" At the teens nod she explained, "Hair, blood, fingernails, a bit of skin, you don't even have to be there for him to do the ritual."

Stiles nodded his head and said, "And who do we all go to when we want to get patched up after taking on the monster of the week?" he said darkly. Then suddenly he felt a cooling breeze blow through the Jeep and another. Stiles looked up through the Jeep window to find the still dried out branches of the landscaping for the Sheriffs station.

He looked over at Mary as she said, "Anger and heat don't mix, cooler heads are better."

"What lesson is that Chun?" Stiles asked sarcastically.

The older woman obviously didn't get the reference for the classic movie, but she answered the question easily enough., "The one that says an angry magic user makes mistakes that has people getting hurt or killed. Your friend Deaton.."

"Not sure that's true anymore," the teen responded.

Mary didn't miss a beat as she continued, "Deaton, has probably had the opportunity to gather samples from al of you and bind your powers, but he's gotten away with it, because nobody else knows magic You loosing your head and going over their without a plan would be foolish at the least and deadly dangerous at worst."

"Got it, cool heads prevail," the boy said a tad grouchily. Then said, "Damn, that's why Deaton shaves his head. Less chance of someone getting mojo over him."

The woman nodded, her mouth twisted in a line of disappointment. "Yeah, I'm more concerned with the things he already has on you and your friends."

Stiles looked over at her and said, "You know about the Pack don't you?"

Mary shrugged which made another breeze flow through the Jeep. "I know of the Pack, the Hale Pack was very famous and I was sad to learn about their destruction. I take it this is part of that Pack and then some?"

The boy nodded before sighing tiredly and saying, "How'd you guess?"

Mary said, "I suspected or hoped all along that at least one member of the Pack may have survived before I ever came. When I met you and then you and your father were talking about the Darach, the Nogitsune, and the Alpha pack, all due respect to you, your dad, and this Deaton fellow, oh and the deputy of course… but I didn't think you could take all of that on just the four of you and survive."

The boy snorted with derision as he said, "Yeah I think we are and have been the strangest most dysfunctional pack around, and not all of us did survive."

"Something to discuss later," Mary said thoughtfully, before continuing, "The things you said in there about things being different? You can't live in the past Stiles, and you will not take this as an opportunity to pile the guilt on because you know you have this gift now."

She held up her hand to stop him arguing before she continued, "You didn't know you were a Spark before. You're still bound and you haven't been trained. What exactly do you think you could have done to save your friends?"

"Okay that's a little freaky. How did you know that's what I was feeling?"

"As sneaky as you think you are, your face is an open book." she said with a smile before concluding, "No spooky powers needed."

The boy merely nodded and then went back to what they had been discussing, "So can we get the stuff back?"

Mary nodded, "Oh yes we're definitely getting all of it back and then we're going to establish a few boundaries with the good doctor. But first things first. How do you feel?"

Before he could even answer she was shaking her head and said, "Really think about it, assess yourself, how do you feel?"

Stiles huffed but actually thought about how he felt. Still a little hung over if the muzzy head was any indication and then he thought again and realized he had forgotten to take his Adderall today. He was also sore in several different places and tired… really, really tired, drained almost. Which under different circumstances he would have blamed on the heat but Mary had been blasting them with natural air conditioning. So no that wasn't it. "Tired, drained?"

"Yeah, that's understandable you're using up a lot of your own energy right now to do the magic. A nap is in order then we'll do the unbinding spell. Let's head to your house. You'll take a nap, I'll make you and your dad dinner. We'll talk about what we need to break the binding, and then I'll head back to the hotel." she said thoughtfully already planning from the look on her face. As she handed the keys back to him, she deliberately tapped the back of his hand and he felt a coolness pass through him that had him breath a little easier as the band of exhaustion around his head eased a bit.

He gave the older woman a small smile of gratitude before starting the Jeep and heading for home.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N~ Flame to a Blaze-So this is the second book in Spark to a Flame, Mary is establishing herself in Beacon Hills. Stiles is about to learn more about being a Spark, in one week than most learn in several months. As for more read for yourselves and please remember to review. I love reviews. Only one chapter this week because of the New Year. Hope everyone is having a Great Holiday Season! ~A **

**Chapter 7**

To say that John Stilinski was shocked to find Mary in his kitchen when he got home was an understatement. To find her fixing dinner wasn't what he had hoped for that afternoon. He had hoped to come home and have a discussion with his son.

The fact that Stiles had an entire life in the supernatural for months before the Sheriff had ever found out. None of it had ever sat well with the man. His own involvement with the things that "go bump in the night" had evolved after that in the hopes of protecting his son and the town folk from it.

Melissa McCall had none too politely informed him that he was a horses ass and that it was a nice effort but effectively closing the barn door after the cows and everything else had escaped. So this evening was meant to be a pre-emptive strike to keep Stiles from getting even more involved in the supernatural.

He would put his foot down and demand that Stiles not get involved with Mary Spenser, or learning how to do magic. That was the plan right up until he walked into the kitchen and found her at the stove stirring something that smelled spicy and delicious.

An icy cold beer sat on the table already opened, the woman put the spoon down and turned to face him. She crossed her arms and said, "Have a seat and a drink Sheriff," then added helpfully, "if you can hold your liquor, that is. I wouldn't want it said I took advantage."

"Exactly how would you be taking advantage Ms. Spenser?"

"I plan on explaining the facts of life to you Sheriff. This life and the supernatural one your son and his friends are leading. The one that keeps the non-supernatural's of this town and the surrounding countryside alive." she said indicating the chair and cold drink. "Then I plan to negotiate for you to understand why the future survival of everyone in this town depends on Stiles and his friends staying alive and as strong and well-adjusted as possible."

"Are you saying my sons not well-adjusted?" Stilinski said harshly.

"Considering the things he's seen and gone through, I'd say he's better adjusted than he should be." she said and the sheriff finally sat down at the table.

He tilted the beer bottle in her direction and said, "Thanks," before taking a deep swallow of the beer.

"Which means he's lying," she said boldly, "and I didn't give you credit for it." The beer coming spewing back out of his mouth was a little petty but gratifying none the less.

"What?" he managed to get out in between his coughing to clear is throat. Mary just sighed and decided to take mercy on him. After a final stir of the pot, she turned the food down and sat down across from him at the table.

"Mr. Stilinski," the woman said with a heavy sigh, "your son needs you. More than you will ever know. To the point that he does crazy things. Like going to search for dead bodies in the middle of the night to help you with your cases so you don't work late hours. To the point he has you on a strict diet and has talked pretty much every waitress and short order cook in this town into telling him when you cheat on said diet."

The Sheriff took another swig of the beer and she said, "He takes the alcohol you buy and drinks it himself so you can't because he's worried about your drinking." the man gave a sour look at the woman and started to interrupt and talk right over him, "Your son loves you he also loved his mother and misses her too. You think because he was younger he doesn't have the same pain as you do?"

"He and I both know that something bad is coming. Let's face it, it's Beacon Hills, and the people who settled here had a good reason for calling it that. He needs to train and he knows it and with or without your permission he will do what needs to be done. He is your son after all."

"Exactly he is my son, not yours, I'm trying to keep him safe." the Sheriff said pushing the empty bottle away from himself on the table.

With a flick of her fingers Mary sent the bottle flying through the air to land in the recycling bin and replied, "John, an untrained Spark is a danger magnet. Even people without any magic in them will either love him or hate him on sight and not know why. You think that Stiles will be safer without the training? Safer against the hunters, the wolves, the Kanima, the Darach, Berserkers, Oni, Nogitsune and who knows what? Really? You think he'd want you, the person he cares the most about in the world to stand between him and the bad things in the world? Things that you have no concept exist let alone how to deal with?"

"A bullet to the head, usually works," the Sheriff said harshly.

"Really? Maybe you should have tried that on the Nogitsune," she replied plainly.

"He's just a kid…" the father said helplessly.

"Wrong, he grew up a long time ago, John. Too bad you never did." the brunette said sharply before standing up and going back to the stove

He heard her muttering and at first thought she was angry with him and muttering to herself. Until he tuned in to what she was saying and realized she seemed to be having a one-sided conversation with Stiles. This was confirmed when his son, looking decidedly rumpled came downstairs rubbing his eyes. He came over to his dad and gave him a one armed hug, before heading to the stove.

He didn't hug her but he seemed comfortable getting into her personal space as he looked over her shoulder at the stew she was stirring. He reached into a drawer and drew out a spoon and handed it to her as he began talking about an unbinding ritual and what they would need to break the binding. She dipped the spoon into the stew and gave some to Stiles, with the requisite, "Careful it's hot," thrown in for good measure.

The boy nodded as he turned to face his father he leaned against the stove as he tasted the food. "Yum," he commented before tossing the spoon in the sink. He asked, "So where can we find the angelica root?"

"Stiles," his father called. His son looked up at him and there was a determination in his eyes that the sheriff had seen many times before. "Damn, you are just as stubborn as your mother was."

The teen snorted and rubbed the back of his neck as he said, "Funny she said the same thing about you." Father and son just smiled a little sadly at each other.

When Mary was sure that the pair weren't going to argue, she heaved a mental sigh of relief and said, "if there are any stores that cater to the Spanish speaking residents we should be able to find some Angelica there. But we eat now and stop worrying about such things." She said turning the food to warm and taking the bread out of the oven.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The next morning Mary had walked up to the front door of the Stilinski home and rang the bell several times. Stiles finally climbed out of bed and went down the stairs to answer. When Stiles looked at her blearily out of the half open door in his two year old skinny jeans with grease on them and a t-shirt with at least as much hole as fabric, she scowled at him.

"What?" the teen asked defensively.

She pushed past him into the house and said, "Is your father here?"

"No, he went to work, he had the early shift."

The woman shook her head and muttered, "No wonder." Then turning back to Stiles she ordered, "_You_ shower now, where's your room?"

When he told her, she disappeared upstairs. He followed her up the stairs and ducked into the bathroom. He showered quickly wrapped the bath towel around his waist and peeked into his room to find the strange sight of Mary on her hands and knees. Her front half stuck in the bottom of his closet, she heard him come into the room. "Stiles where are your nicer shoes?"

"You mean my dress shoes, why?" asked the teen as his attention was caught by the clothes he assumed Mary had laid out on his bed a pale blue short sleeved shirt and dark washed jeans. Beside it was a longer bag with his converse and one of his favorite t-shirts. It was what else was in the bag that caught his attention.

"Is that a gun?" he said with a healthy dose of fear in his voice.

"Yes, several. Stiles, pay attention, not dress, just nicer." Mary said sitting back on her heels to look at the teen.

"I don't have any nicer, not dress shoes, just dress shoes." Stiles said. Then waving his arms a little wildly, "Little more important here, why do you have guns, plural in your bag."

"Dress shoes, it is then," drawing them out of his closet, ignoring his questions about the guns she added, "but we are definitely doing a little shopping for you later young man."

Standing up she walked over and putting them on the bed said, "Now hurry up we're already running late," as she grabbed the bag off the bed and headed out of the room, with the thing actually clinking from its contents.

"Please just tell me!", Stiles shouted and this time he had to catch the towel to keep it from falling when he waved his arms.

Mary paused in the doorway and turned back to face him her eyebrow raised and said with amusement, "Course hon, what do you need to know?"

"Please tell me I'm not gonna play Clyde to your Bonnie and we're not going to go out and rob a bank."

"Not without a fedora," she snipped, seeing his panic she gave in to her humor and said, "No Stiles, we're not robbing a bank, but we are going to one so get a move on. And don't forget to take your meds."

Stiles flopped face first on the bed, effectively trapping the towel underneath him and exposing his bare backside to the slight chill of the fan in his room to his still damp skin. "I'm working for someone who's sense of humor is even darker than the Creepers," the teen huffed.

"I heard that and we're leaving in ten minutes, no matter how dressed you are Stiles, I mean it." came from downstairs.

Stiles realized that she probably meant it and quickly finished dressing. He had just taken his Adderall with some leftover Gatorade he found in his room, when he heard her call, "Stiles its time to go now." Grabbing his wallet and keys from his dresser, he nearly tripped down the stairs and landed beside her easily.

"Where to first?" he asked eagerly.

"First tuck in your shirt," then she looked him in the eye and admonished, "This is serious Stiles, all of it. I expect you to be ready at nine each morning, and to be dressed like a business assistant not an assistant waiter. Right now, we're just starting but it is summertime and I will be paying you for your work, so _do _the work, okay?"

Stiles tucked in the shirt and blushed so hard his ears actually burned from the firm critique, "Sorry, Mary, I'll try and do better."

"Okay kiddo," she picked up a leather bound folio and handed it to the younger man, "This is for you." It was an organizer complete with calendar, contacts, space for notes and all. Today's schedule was full. Bank, city hall, court house, lunch, check contractors, SHOPPING, gun range, unbinding. Take your father to dinner.

"We won't be taking the bag into the bank with us but we will be taking it with us." Mary said as they headed out to the Jeep. Stiles made sure the front door locked behind him as he managed to wrestle the heavy duffle down the front walk and into the back of his Jeep.

He climbed into the drivers seat and found Mary holding a twenty out to him and she said, "What's the best bank in town, not the biggest or fanciest, just the best?"

Stiles thought about it and said, "Dad says the American National, has the best security and the nicest tellers."

"From your father that is high praise, alright any drive-thru's between here and there you like?"

"There's Dunphy's they have great breakfast sandwiches?" Stiles suggested helpfully. Mary smiled and nodded agreeably as the boy started the Jeep and pulled away.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mary had asked him if he had a checking account, he told her he did. She then instructed Stiles to get information on checking and savings accounts as well as safety deposit boxes. Meanwhile she went to get some information and help from one of the people sitting at the desks.

When Stiles came to sit beside her at the desk the man sitting there looked between the two of them as Mary ignored him and continued to read the documents before her. "Anything you think I should know Mr. Stilinski?"

Stiles managed to keep a straight face as he caught on to the game Mary was playing with the man behind the desk, "Yes ma'am, the bank has actually had some recent upgrades to their security and are also currently in the process of negotiating to purchase land to place a new ATM closer to your new property. Their fees and rates are competitive although the safety deposit boxes are cheaper at the previous establishment."

"I think we can deal with the added cost if it includes added security and discretion of course," she said, pinning the man with a stare that would have frozen the blood of nearly any man. "Don't you agree Mr. Stilinski?"

"Yes ma'am," Stiles agreed with a vague smile he reserved for really boring teachers.

They concluded their business with the accounts officer, including transferring an amount into a newly opened account at the bank that included an incredible number of zeros in Stiles opinion. The pair walked out of the bank and when they had gotten a short distance from the front doors of the bank, Stiles had to let out a gasping laugh, "Did you see his face? He looked like he could have swallowed a fish when you gave him that transfer order."

"You should have seen his face when you came up and sat down," said Mary, "I think he was trying to figure out whether you were my kid or if I was robbing the cradle or something."

The pair were laughing hard as they walked to the parking lot, when some instinct had Mary raising her arm to block the blow coming for Stiles. The teen turned at the same time to face the attacker. A young redhead that Mary didn't recognize but apparently Stiles did.

"What the hell, Lydia?" Stiles said, probably a little more harshly than he intended.

Only to hear Lydia say at the same time, "What the…Stiles?"

The strawberry blond stared pointedly at where Mary still held her arm. Mary only continued to glare at the girl angrily. Sighing heavily Stiles said, "You can let her go, she's smarter than to try that again."

"Is she? I wonder. What if I'd had the big bag?" the teen only shook his head and stared pleadingly at his new boss, and she deliberately turned the wrist she was holding Lydias arm with to stare at her watch. "It is about time for your coffee break Mr. Stilinski. You have 15 minutes, use it wisely.. we still have a lot to accomplish today." she said finally releasing her hold on Lydia. She turned and walked to the Jeep to wait.

"Who the hell is that?" Lydia asked rudely.

"My bodyguard," Stiles snarked, "What's your problem Lydia?"

"My problem is that your girlfriend just bruised me. I should press charges for assault."

"Yeah and when I tell my dad, that she was protecting me from you? Who exactly do you think he' ll arrest?"

"You would choose her over me? The girl you've had a crush on since we were in the third grade?" Lydia said sarcastically.

Stiles eyes darkened angrily but he merely asked coldly, "Why did you feel the need to attack me Lydia?"

"You told Jordan, what he is." she said as if that should explain everything.

"Yeah, we finally figured it out, yesterday." Stiles said with a hint of confused irritation in his expression. "So?"

"So?!" the girl said in a waspish tone, "So you were supposed to tell me, so I could tell him on his birthday. Remember, at the party."

"So he found out a couple of days early Lydia. What's the big deal?" Then he saw the look in her eyes and he scowled at his former crush with disdain.

"Really Lyds, you want the guy that's great. You deserve somebody nice. Parrish _is_ nice which means we didn't hesitate to tell him what he is when we found out. The fact that you're not going to get the glory of telling him in front of everybody at the party, didn't really enter into it." he said staring at her with a hard expression on his face. He turned to walk away and then he added as he walked backwards away from Lydia, "You know, I mistakenly thought it was about Jordan, it is his birthday after all."

"Yeah well you're uninvited to the party." Lydia screamed at the other teenager.

"Sorta figured," Stiles said more to himself than anything as he went and climbed into the drivers seat of the Jeep.

Pasting on a mask of cheer, Stiles asked, "Where to now boss?"

Mary looked at the brunette with some concern before saying, "So we're not going to talk about the red haired elephant in the Jeep?"

"Nope," then seeing the look of genuine concern on the older woman's face, "not right now, maybe later. When I'm over it"

She studied him for a moment longer and said, "Ok then, city hall and or court house. Whichever is closest first."

"That's easy, they're right across the street from each other and right down the street from the Sheriff's Department." the teen said as he pulled the Jeep out of the parking space.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

To save time they divided the tasks between them. Stiles went into the courthouse and asked Ms. Williams if they kept the blueprints and permits for the houses around town. He immediately got the impression that the woman rarely got visitors as she was very eager to please.

She helped him find the blue prints for the Hale House, as well as records of any permits for additions or renovations made to the building since it was originally erected. She told him he couldn't take the originals and that unfortunately their printer hadn't worked in several months but that as long as she accompanied him they could go to the Kinko's on the corner and make copies of the documents and blue prints there.

Ms. Williams kept up a lively conversation with Stiles as they waited for everything to be copied. Luckily Mary had given her assistant a rather thick wad of cash before they left the Jeep, so he wasn't too concerned about how much getting everything copied was going to cost. The stack of bills was so thick in fact the teen was fairly sure he would have to find another place other than his wallet to store it for fear of putting his butt to sleep.

Stiles had the employees put al of the material into a cardboard tube and helped the records clerk carry the original documents back to the courthouse. He thanked the records clerk sincerely before going and locking the cardboard tube in the back of the Jeep and then going to track down his new boss.

He found her sitting on the steps of city hall enjoying the sunshine. He plopped down beside her and giving her a scrap of note paper. "The original architect of Hale House, his firm is apparently very famous and still in San Jose." he said helpfully.

She took the number and brushed her pants off as she stood up and said, "Very cool," as they made their way back to the Jeep, "and we're done a little early. Wanna take your dad out to lunch?"

"I'll call him and…" Stiles had pulled his cell out of his pocket when two Sheriffs cars pulled up on either side of the pair. John Stilinski got out of one and Deputy Parrish out of the other.

"Dad. What's going on?" Stiles asked a little nervously. Trying to figure out if he had done something to get them in trouble this morning.

His father didn't even answer him instead he went to Mary and taking her elbow looked her in the eyes and said, "Please." She tilted her head and looked at her arm and then the blond man's face. Parrish came and took Stiles arm and was a little more forthcoming than the sheriff, "We need you to come with us."

Mary looked over at the teen and nodded her head. Instead of going to the Jeep to follow the two peacekeepers. They were helped into the back of the squad cars which then swiftly reversed out of their haphazard parking spots and took off down the road out of town.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"Care to enlighten me as to what's going on Sheriff." Mary asked with exaggerated patience.

"When we get there," Stilinski replied through clenched teeth.

"Where's there?" she asked and when she got no response, her temper got the better of her, "Ok we'll play whose are bigger then." She closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened them again they were solid black and suddenly both patrol car engines shut off. The cars continued to roll a few feet but they wouldn't restart. "Hmm," and there was a hint of a growl in the sound, "Answer, mine are."

There was a clicking sound and the back doors on both patrol cars popped open. Mary and then Stiles climbed out of the patrol cars and the teen trotted back to stand beside her. His father was struggling with the door of the patrol car before he finally realized the infernal woman had apparently sealed the doors to the patrol car shut.

He scowled at her as she faced him and said, "Really Sheriff I would have thought you would be mature enough not to resort to these pubescent male challenging rituals. You were married for heavens sake. You should know the woman is always right."

"Mary please don't piss off my father." Stiles said pleadingly, "I have to live with the guy."

"Hey, he pissed me off first," then looking at her student, "Ok fine but he better answer me this time. Why did you basically just kidnap us off the street and if you don't answer me I will be pressing charges against the department."

Whenever the Sheriff looked mulish, Stiles reprimanded sharply, "Dad!"

"Fine, we have another dead body. I'm beginning to think there might be something supernatural involved. Jarrod mentioned that you both helped him and I know Stiles has experience with this stuff and we seem to be seriously lacking at the moment with anyone with experience in this field. I decided to go with what I had."

"Who, not what, Sheriff. And asking would have been considered polite," he looked confused for a moment and then flushed red. Whether from embarrassment or irritation, Mary didn't know or care. Mary looked at Stiles for a moment until he nodded his head, and the pair got back into the two squad cars. As soon as they were both buckled in the cars started back up again, and almost drove themselves to the crime scene.

Stiles came to stand beside her and Mary could tell his father took that a little personally. She could tell though that Stiles was just a little nervous with the possibility of seeing a dead body. She decided to be as business like as possible and to see how far Stiles was capable of going.

"How far are we from the previous crime scene?" she said thoughtfully.

"About half a mile in that direction," he said pointing northwest.

"So territorial," she turned to Stiles and said quietly, "Mark it in the map of town in your head." Watching her footing as they made their way through the woods, she asked, "Ok where were the boys last seen and when?"

"We don't need you to solve the crime Ms. Spenser, we'll do that?" the Sheriff said a little sharply looking at his son rather than Mary but it was she who answered him.

"No but we need to know its hunting ground, where and how it disposes of the body and how often it has to feed to determine what it is. So yes you do need our help to find the killer and probably to figure out how to kill it as well." Mary replied as she held onto the side of a tree as she climbed over its roots. "Now do I have to ask again?"

The older blond sighed heavily and finally replied, "Right now, Stiles was the last one to see Danny and that was outside the video store. We haven't identified this young man yet but I would say its been several weeks at least."

When they came upon the small clearing with the yellow tarp over the body, Mary looked over at Stiles. "Stiles, take a deep breath, center, then distance yourself. You're playing a video game, a virtual reality game with your senses involved. Ready?"

Stiles closed his eyes and followed her instructions, then opened his eyes and gave a quick nod. "Gloves please," she said quickly. Jordan gave her a pair but the Sheriff balked grasping his sons shoulder.

"My sons not going over there and you…you're not contaminating the crime scene." he said sharply.

Looking at the man sternly she said, "You asked for my help. Do you want it or not? Stiles is my student he has to learn to recognize things. He can't get everything from books or the internet." She didn't say anything else but stepped towards the remains.

She looked over at Stiles and indicated with her chin where she wanted him to stand, she looked up at him and said, "Ready?" before she actually pulled back the tarp.

Stiles nodded his head and she pulled back the tarp to expose the nude body of what Stiles imagined might have been a man at one time. Except something had removed his genitals, opened up his chest, and dried him up more shriveled than a raisin in the sun.

Without even touching the body Mary looked up at Stiles, "Without coming any closer and using only your initial senses, what can you judge from the remains?"

Stiles nodded his head nervously and walked around the body studying the ground around it thoughtfully, "No drag marks, and no blood, that doesn't make sense." he said his brow knit in confusion.

"Explain," Mary said encouragingly.

"If they were killed here, there should be blood, right. None around the body, but if they were killed somewhere else and brought here there should be drag marks or some sign that the ground is disturbed. It's not, it doesn't make sense." the brunette explained thoughtfully.

"Good observation. Anything else you notice before you get closer?" asked the brunette woman as she knelt by the body. Stiles looked at the body and then smelled the ammonia instead of the normal revolting smell of rotting flesh. "Ammonia and something else, not normal, chemically."

His face lit up suddenly as he remembered where had smelled the scent before, "Sulfur, I remember from chemistry class." then his brows knit again as he asked, "Why do I smell ammonia and sulfur?"

"Reptiles. They release those two scents for two reasons, mating and to protect a food source." said Mary helpfully. "Notice the lack of perdition?"

"Huh?" Stiles said, even more confused.

"Sorry, scientific terms used in supernatural events just don't mix. Right, perdition is when predators gnaw, chew, or eat the tender parts of a carcass. Notice there aren't any signs of that except where the initial attack occurred."

Stiles looked at the body and spoke as he studied, "It is very intact looking. Clean, almost mummified looking. Wait there are no bugs, even if the bodies only been here a few hours there should be bugs. It's summertime, there should be ants, flies, mosquitoes something. Hell, we should have mosquitoes trying to suck us dry even, but there's nothing."

Recognizing a possible oncoming freak out, Mary said calmly, "Stiles start making a circle around the area go out about five feet each time. Look for tracks, blood, drag marks, and so forth and try not to trample the evidence." Pulling a thin spool of twine out of her purse she tossed it to the teen and said, "Mark the trail if you find it as far as that will go, when you're done come back and we'll continue."

As his son paced away the sheriff stepped closer, "I hadn't noticed half the stuff he just saw." he whispered in awe.

Mary smirked with a hint of pride, "I'd like to say that was the spark, but no most of it is just Stiles. He's highly observant and is able to put things together better than most of his peers. When he gets back I'll need you to step back again. We're going to do a little magic and he'll need to focus." Before he could ask she said, "No sheriff we're not going to raise the dead today. Now did you search for ID yet?"

"No, I just smelled the sulfur smell and thought it might be demon related…" he replied shrugging sheepishly.

"So you then came to get us, I see. I'm a little insulted your mind went from demon to me so directly. I suppose that's a topic for another day though." she said as she carefully felt through the leaves around the body. Trying not to disturb the crime scene anymore than had already occurred.

She was almost halfway up to her elbow in leaf little under the body when she let out a little cheer and said, "Yes," as she carefully pulled a wallet out from under the corpse.

She reached out to hand the billfold to Deputy Parrish as the sheriff said, "How does he not have a stitch of clothing on but he has a wallet buried under him."

"My guess, he took his clothes off to have sex, pulled a condom out of his wallet and dropped it and as often happens the thing went for a walk. When the killer tried to clean up after their self, they didn't find it. Luckily for you guys." Mary said thoughtfully.

Stiles came walking back toward them and said I found their trail and took the string as far as it would go about fifty yards out. Tracks, two people, both wearing tennis shoes, about the same build, both male or a woman with really big feet. No blood, no drag marks." he said, and then added a little angrily, "So what the hell happened?"

"Oh I have a theory," Mary said as she studied the remains thoughtfully. "Stiles first magic lesson of the day. Even a dead body will have a hint of life in it for ages after its died. Its DNA, its identity is like radiation in a way. It has a half life a certain rate of decay and we may be able to get information from it."

Stiles was fascinated, "Seriously? How?"

"You remember how you found Parrish's secret, do the same for this fellow." she said.

"His name is Ryan Shelley," the deputy offered helpfully and with that Stiles face paled and he crab walked away from the body a few feet.

"I know him," Stiles said breathlessly after his father called his name in concern. "He was Danny's boyfriend, they broke up before Danny decided he loved Ethan instead."

"It's alright Stiles I can do it." Mary said soothingly, "You'll get your workout this evening. Trust me." she added encouragingly. Closing her eyes for a minute she raised her hand a few inches over the body and ran it from the head down the torso. Then yanked it back cursing under her breath as she shook her hand vigorously for a moment.

"I'm glad you didn't do this one, Sweetie. It's not good." carefully moving back up to the corpses head. Mary worked to raise one of the corpses eyelids. Curiously the two men stepped forward to try and look over her shoulder. While Stiles hid his face in his hands as he sat in the fallen leaves at the base of an oak nearby.

The Sheriff muttered under his breath, whether a curse or something more Mary wasn't sure, but she sat back on her heels and drew a deep breath. She looked up at the sad eyes of the teen that sat across the clearing from her as she said, "Yeah, I know what killed him, and I know how you can kill it. I just don't know how you're going to find it."

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Sheriff insisted on walking his son out of the woods and back to the patrol car with Mary helping to support the young man just a little. After all the teen had his pride. When they got back to the car, his father got a bottle of water out of the cooler in the trunk while Mary got a candy bar out of her purse. When the young spark had gotten halfway through both he asked what the Sheriff wanted to, "What is it?"

"A lamia…part snake, part lamprey, part succubus. Originally in the legends, the first was a lover to Zeus until his wife Hera killed her children in retribution. Lamia went mad and began seducing young humans and sucking the life force out of them. The first test, to check the level of life force left in the remains there was absolutely none left. The lamia sucked it all out, every drop."

"That's why it looks like a mummy," Stiles said recovering quickly from the shock of knowing two murder victims in as many days.

Mary merely nodded, "The original Lamia couldn't close its eyes, so it would forever see the horror of what it had become and the horrible crimes it was committing. So it would pluck its own eyes out and use its victims eyes instead. Which of course only worked until the next victim. Another problem it uses the images of the victims family, friends and acquaintances to find its next victims." she said reaching for her own bottle of water to take a few sips.

"So she killed Danny first and now his boyfriend,"

"I'm afraid it's worse than that Sheriff, the Lamia has to feed about once a week. I have a feeling if you search the woods between here and where Danny was found you'll find more bodies. All of Danny's family, lovers, friends, even casual acquaintances. Stiles is lucky that he hasn't come across it or possibly he has but his spark protected him. Lamias, are afraid of magical beings, other shifters like werewolves usually recognize and know to stay away from it because of the smell."

"The problem is other than the smell there is no way to recognize it. It can camouflage itself to look like anyone, male or female it doesn't matter. The only difference you might notice is their eye color or like I said the smell. Also the only way to kill it is to destroy the skin." she continued thoughtfully. Racking her brain for all she remembered about these monsters.

"I'm sorry, it's skin?" the Sheriff asked skeptically.

"Yes, its chameleon like ability and its life force are mostly in its skin. It will always have it on its body. As a belt, shoes, purse, clothes or something. Traditionally it's a belt though, burn that and it should kill them."

"Yeah okay, well if that's everything…" John's voice was tired and almost desperate.

"It's not," Mary said gently trying to give the man a break but knowing he wasn't going to like this next bit any better than the rest. "Before the summer is over its probably going to lay at least one batch of eggs. They are asexual so they don't need a mate, reptiles." Shrugging her shoulders she continued, "If there's an increase in the disappearances or the bodies that appear, that's the indication its nesting."

Stillinski sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "And I'm going to assume it would be better if we caught it before that?"

"Yeah much better," Stiles responded knowingly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The Sheriff could not be convinced to keep the identity of the new victim under wraps and truthfully Mary couldn't blame him. Though how he was going to warn the family to stay away from someone who looked just like their son if he should suddenly appear on their doorstep. For that she did not envy the man in the least.

He did ask her advice on how to catalog the death and after a few moments consideration, she suggested he list it as undetermined. "Use the medical examiner, that is what he's there for. There's nothing here he can't attribute to perdition, depending on his skill and capabilities and if he does deem it suspicious fine. There's no way really to connect the two deaths other than they knew each other and dated. Danny purportedly died nearly a year ago. This one a few weeks ago at best."

"Yeah and the fact that they died in the same general area, well Beacon Hills is kind of a small town dad." Stiles provided helpfully. Mary saw the poor man pinch the bridge of his nose again and sigh.

The Sheriff then had Deputy Parrish take the pair of them back to Stiles' jeep. After he had a long soft-spoken conversation with Stiles during which the father and son had embraced. The man had just gone up a few points in Mary's estimation. Which was good, as he was about to go into the negatives before.

They arranged with the deputy to meet with him for the next afternoon after his shift ended but before Lydia's party to have the conversation with his hitchhiker as Stiles had nicknamed the possessive jinn. He actually got out of the cruiser when they got to Stiles jeep and shook both of their hands and told them he was grateful for their help. When Stiles seemed shocked at the show of appreciation the Deputy pulled the younger man into a one armed hug

The young man responded still a little stiffly and Parrish stared at Stiles with a little concern and then gave Ms. Spenser the same look. The older woman merely tilted her head slightly, Jordan merely said to the younger Stilinski, "You never really learned how to accept compliments or gratitude did you?"

The brunette tried to laugh it off, but Parrish continued to gaze at him for a few minutes. Before a radio call from the sheriff had the deputy back on task, he thanked them again and then got into his cruiser and sped back towards the crime scene.

"So…are you up to lunch or shall we postpone it till after our shopping trip?" Mary asked gently.

Stiles drew a fortifying breath, truthfully he didn't feel up to either let alone the unbinding ritual tonight. He wanted to show his toughness though so he said, "Lunch, I have a feeling I'm going to need the extra strength for a shopping trip with you."

Mary merely gave the younger man a mock scowl and a gentle shove to the drivers seat of the Jeep and said, "Behave you, the best steak in town I think will be a good lunch."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles had to admit that he did feel better after eating the over the top meal. After shopping with Mary however…yeah he was certain he had been right in the first place that the woman was a shop till you drop kinda woman.

The fact that he now had several dress shirts, some dressier t-shirts without logos of superhero's and slacks, as well as a pair of loafers and hiking boots. When he had started to balk at prices and the number of items, Mary had reminded him of her dress code and said if it would make him feel better she would take it out of his salary along and along.

When informed that she planned on taking him on another shopping trip same time next week. He'd just shut up and gone along for the ride. Then they had picked up a few supplies for the rituals, including the hard to find angelica root.

Followed quickly by making a few calls to the architect in San Jose who said he would be there at the beginning of the next week for a consultation. He had taken her around to the best contractors in town and they had arranged tentative contracts with a few of them.

They had then gone to a tree service and arranged to have the land cleared with the assurances that the land would be cleared only with her supervision. She wanted to keep as many of the trees as possible arranging it so they would keep the drainage as natural as possible to prevent landslides and such.

Those groups were to be onsite the next morning bright and early. Stiles added it to his new agenda along with all of the other information they had gathered. She also informed him they would have to actually be there before the crew to lay out where the house would go and mark that out as well as where wards would go so the crews would know what absolutely had to be cut and what could be left.

Stiles had a pretty good idea from studying a bit with Deaton what wards were but he didn't know how to create them or what was needed to set them. Mary told him that many wards were set like the mountain ash circles and boundaries he had seen before. Then she said, "But these wards will be different. We are going to set them to protect the house and the pack inside. Is there a gun range nearby?"

"The only one I know of is the one my dad and his deputies use." Stiles replied.

Mary nodded and said, "Hand me your agenda," which the teen did. Opening it to the notepad she asked, "Will they let us use it?" she asked as she began sketching something out on the notepad.

"Yeah, dad has taken me out their before, they shouldn't have a problem with it." he responded, as he pulled out and drove the Jeep in the general direction of the gun range.

"So I take it you do know how to use a gun?" Mary said absently as she tried to sketch carefully while Stiles drove.

"Yeah sure he let me use his service weapon, we would do skeet shooting over in a friends field. Used some of the shotguns that the deputies use, have my own 22, I use for hunting but I haven't really done that for a while." Stiles responded before adding for her benefit. "I'm going to be pulling off the main road up here and the road to the range isn't the best, just so you know."

Mary merely smiled in response as she finished the sketch quickly. Once he pulled into the hard packed earth the shooters used as a parking lot, he turned off the Jeep and tried to look at what she had drawn.

Three figure eights drawn inside each other and around two buildings. All inside a much larger tract of land that had a border drawn around it. The only thing that finally made him recognize what she had drawn was the fact that he had seen the tract of land too many times in the past few days as Mary told him her plans for the same time period. "That's the preserve," Stiles said and traced the larger of the two buildings with his finger. "This is Hale House but," he pointed to the other building, "What's this place?"

"That is where I'm going to live and there's also going to be a place where we can practice our magic and when the buildings are done I'm going to move the Nemeton closer so it can be safe." Then the teen traced his fingers over the figure 8's and before he could even ask she explained, "Those are the wards and there will also be one around the Preserve but that one will be less stable because we won't really be able to anchor it to something."

"Now lets see how good you really are," Mary said as she climbed out of the Jeep. Stiles grabbed the big rucksack from the back and walked with her down to the shooting stalls. When he put the rucksack on the ground next to the stall, Mary reached down and unzipped the heavy thing. She stood back up and with a graceful wave at the contents said, "Choose your poison kiddo."

For the next hour and a half they went through an inordinate amount of ammo and nearly 2/3 of the weapons in the bag. His new boss and teacher complimented, scolded and assessed, before stopping him to remind him they had to get ready for the unbinding ritual. He dropped her off at the hotel and per her instructions went home to shower using salt from the kitchen to scrub with instead of his usual shower gel.

He then changed into loose fitting clothes and went back to the hotel to pick Mary up again and they headed into the forest, and hiked to the Nemeton. She was carrying a much smaller bag and they began setting up the ritual by placing candles just so on the tree stump.

A cauldron with the angelica root in it, a bowl of salt, and various other materials were placed around the top of the Nemeton. When everything was set and the time was right, Stiles removed his shirt and shoes and told Mary, "You know the last time I touched this thing, it actually touched me back."

"That was the Nemeton trying to warn you, but you will probably feel it again when the ritual is over. Don't worry, this time it's a positive thing. Go on," she added encouragingly as the teen crawled up on the stump of the tree.

As Stiles arranged himself on top of the stump, Mary began reciting the incantation. The four candles that were set around him began lighting themselves, one by one. Stiles could feel himself getting more and more tense.

Then he felt something that wasn't the tree, thank goodness.

It was something comfortingly warm and safe and there was a scent dark, rich, and earthy but fresh. Like someone turning over new soil and for some reason it felt as if someone had flipped a switch inside of him and he relaxed. To the point of falling asleep while Mary completed the ritual.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**He was running, through the woods, along paths long remembered but his pack was missing, his family gone. The black wolf stopped at a rise where a toppled tree stood, blue eyes glowed as he let out a mournful howl. Only to be answered by another wolves call, the call angered instead of comforted him, this was his territory, the territory of his pack. Who was trespassing in their territory? **

**He followed the call running faster and faster until he crashed into a white wolf, warm whiskey colored eyes playful and amused. Until the black wolf growled warningly, at the other male, even though he knew his blue eyes were glowing, the white wolf merely looked at him. It continued to give him a lupine grin as the brown eyes slowly bled to red. **

**He felt a shiver go through him of recognition, and he bowed his head. Only to have the other come over and using neither tooth nor claw force him down to the ground gently. It began scent marking him thoroughly from nose to tail, and head to claw. It's scent was familiar yet strange. A mix of grass, bees wax, motor oil and old books. Then the white male lay down beside him and though the Alpha was smaller he put his head over the shoulder of the black beta protectively.**

Derek sat up gasping from the dream, his body covered in a fine sheen of sweat that had nothing to do with the balminess of the summer evening or the residual heat left in the loft. He leaned forward elbows on his knees and rolled his head to crack his neck.

He hadn't had one of these dreams since before Boyd and Erica had been killed.

**~X~**

**A grey mist with red eyes glowing out of it had been around the entire pack. Every time one of them had tried to step out of the mist it had thickened in that area as though trying to contain the pack. **

The dream hadn't made sense but he hadn't made sense at the time. Then Boyd and Erica had left and later died. The mist was trying to tell him to keep his Pack close, but he had failed to heed the warning and part of his Pack was dead.

**~X~**

For a split second he half expected Braeden to reach out and touch his shoulder, her gaze assessing. But no Braeden was gone. Almost as soon as they had arrived in town, Malia had arrived at the loft.

His cousin was more than half wild. And Derek wondered why the pack wasn't keeping a closer eye on her, why her Alpha wasn't keeping a better eye on her. Before he could ask, the younger woman ignoring her cousin moved to confront Braeden and asked the former Marshall, "Is it true you tracked and investigated the Desert Wolf?"

"How do you…" Derek had seen Braeden turn her gaze to him suspiciously and his heart had sunk at the lack of trust from a woman he had considered a friend at least.

"Scott's father he's FBI, he had her file in amongst some other stuff." her eyes became distant as she continued. "Stiles feels the need to check on Scott's mom while the Alpha and the rest of the pack are away at Lacrosse camp."

"Why didn't you go with them or stay with your adoptive father, for that matter why didn't Stiles go with them?" Derek asked.

"I have nothing in common with them. I don't like school, lacrosse or being part of the pack." She had what appeared to be a grooming kit. She pulled a rather thick file out of it before pouring the remaining contents out on the rather dusty table. Several bundles of cash.

"The file is the one that Scott's dad had and the cash is to hire you. I want you to find my mother. I want you to find the Desert Wolf." Malia said heatedly.

After that Malia became a little more erratic, while Braeden made several phone calls. Derek had found some canned meat and a few other things which he'd thrown together for his cousin to eat. When he asked her about Stiles again, she had mentioned the two of them visiting her father a couple of times, but not much else.

Remembering what Braeden had told him about her obsession with the Desert Wolf, Derek had his own suspicions about her motives for helping his cousin find her mother. After Malia had eaten an entire canned ham, a gallon of water and the rest of the meager contents of his pantry he had tried to warn her.

He suggested that she wait for the rest of the Pack to return and maybe talk to Stiles and her father Peter, he didn't expect the near violent reaction he got for his advice.

Clearing the table with one arm, Malia growled angrily, "I'm not a Hale, or your mother wouldn't have sent me away without even telling my father I existed. I'm not Pack or Scott wouldn't have left me behind with my psycho father and the hapless human. So don't try to tell me what I should and should not do…" Any kind of conversation between the three had degenerated from their.

Braeden and Malia were focused on their quest to find the Desert Wolf. Derek felt the remains of his already damaged heart shred a little more as he watched the woman he had learned to trust walk out of the loft. While one of the three remaining members of his family went with her and knew that short of brute force there was nothing he could do to stop them.

Knowing he probably wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep after the strange dream, the werewolf got up and paced over to the table. He was tired, the trip with Braeden had been a long one and not the most comfortable. Scott, Kira, and Liam, as well as Mason and Brett who while not officially Pack members, were part of their group. The news that they were all away from the territory was something he couldn't fathom.

Alphas and Packs were usually a lot more territorial and were very reluctant to travel far from home. Obviously the trip wasn't mandatory or Stiles would have gone as well. It didn't really make sense.

Of course Scott was an unconventional Alpha to say the least. Just as he had always been a rather unique werewolf. Derek had always admired that morality and strength of will in Scott. Now he was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake about the True Alpha's true nature.

Not that he wanted the position back, not by any means. When he had told his Uncle he didn't care about the power, he hadn't lied about that. Scott had left members of his Pack behind. A pack divided was a pack weakened, vulnerable. Malia hadn't said anything about Lydia or Deputy Parrish either. Nor had she mentioned anything about Scott's mother, the Sheriff, or Chris Argent.

Derek felt a driving need an imperative to check on those who hadn't gone with Scott McCall. Pulling his trainers back on and slipping into his hoodie rather than his leather jacket, Derek headed into the night. At this time of night during the summer there would be more teens and twenty-somethings out wandering around. A young man out jogging around town in the cooler hours of the evening would hardly draw attention.

First was Argent he was closest, he was careful not to trip alarms or traps but still didn't get very close. He didn't have to, there were no heartbeats and the general air of neglect gave him the clue that no one had been here since they had last seen him in Mexico.

Next came Lydia, the young woman was awake and inside with her mother they were discussing plans for a party she was apparently throwing for Deputy Parrish the next night if the decorations and banner were any indication. Otherwise she seemed fine. Then there was Melissa McCall, the equivalent of Pack Mother she was asleep her heart rate and breathing even and her ex-husband was in the house. Working if the sounds of shuffling papers was any indication.

The Stilinski household was empty, and that had Derek more than a little concerned. Without Scott here Stiles would usually be home, playing video games, watching a movie, doing research. His Jeep was gone though. Derek went to check on the remaining pack members at the Sheriff's station.

The Beacon Hills Sheriffs Department looked surprisingly busy for this time of the day and that really piqued his curiosity and concern. He was able to detect the Sheriffs voice talking to his men. Apparently there was some kind of serial killer on the loose or at least they suspected so and were waiting for confirmation from the State Police Crime Lab.

He heard Parrish say something to the Sheriff and felt his concern for them ease enough to zero in on locating the missing member of the Pack. Of course he could go in there and let the Sheriff know he was back from his trip and was just touching base with everyone. But considering the previous trouble he'd had with the department he didn't think it would be a good idea. Especially when they were looking for another killer just when he returned to town. That was a disaster waiting to happen.

Instead he headed back to the home where he spent more time climbing through the second story bedroom window of a certain teen than using the front door if truth be told. He picked up the gym bag, old work out clothes that held the scent of grass, sweat, motor oil from that old rattle trap of a Jeep and a small amount of blood. Sure he had a pretty good place to start and started to crawl back out the window when he noticed something he had never noticed before.

Wooden carvings, one was completed and carved of some kind of dark almost black wood, it was about six inches high and several inches longer and had painted accents. The competed wolf carving was placed on a higher shelf undoubtedly to keep it from getting broken. The wolf it depicted was black, the detail was incredible, painted mouth, nose, eyes and claws were depicted. The wolf was snarling at something, the image was powerful and all too familiar.

The next wolf was incomplete and showed a deep reddish brown carving. This one was standing and appeared to be howling but the detail and personality wasn't there. There were several other pieces of wood on the shelf, some of them were just that pieces of wood. Others were just starting out and had no real form to them yet. Derek put the carvings back on the shelves before crawling back out the teenagers open window. More determined than ever to try and find the teen before sunrise.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**The white wolf woke alone but he wasn't concerned for the beta. He would return when he was ready. In the meantime he had work to do. She was making a Pack house and safe places for the Pack to make den. So was he.**

**He was determined to make more den areas. Making sure the pack would be safe and healthy, that was what he intended before he called them. The new Alpha was good but he was limiting the Pack and that would never do. What was coming was much too big for just the few numbers of his friends Pack.**

**He needed an Alliance or two and the new Alpha was determined to make that possible as he crawled into the cave he had been heading for when he had heard the other wolves mournful howl and had answered.**

**He smelt the taint of old blood and wolfs bane and avoided the area where the taint was to crawl to the back of the cave to begin enlarging it. Digging carefully to ensure against cave-ins, he would return when and if he ever had free time in his human form to collect the tainted soil and purify it of the wolves bane and shore up where he was digging to prevent any accidents. The blood would be of great value to him for what was to come, he thought and then set his wandering mind to the task at hand for as long as he could. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N~ Things are about to get even more interesting. Please continue to review, it makes me right better, if not faster. Thank you to everyone who has followed and reviewed. I really love you all and appreciate it greatly. ~A**

**Chapter 11**

Stiles awoke both exhausted and exhilarated. It was close to dawn and the damp and chill in the air wouldn't help the stiffness he felt already before he even moved off of the stump that had once been the powerful Nemeton. He turned his head and tried to find his mentor.

His heart stuttered and he tried to call her name only to have his voice come out in a quiet croak. He finally caught sight of her and it didn't soothe him. She was sitting on the ground leaned up against a fallen tree that some former party goers or make out artists had dragged closer to the burn barrel. Her arms laid at her sides and her head was leaned forward, her hair fallen to cover her face.

His body sluggishly worked to get over to the side of the stump as he tried to maneuver to reach his Mary. He swallowed several times to work up enough moisture to actually be able to make sound. He started to call her name softly as he managed to sit up on the side of the tree stump. He felt the pins and needles in his legs as he stood up and then immediately his legs went out from under him.

He managed to get back up to his hands and knees and crawl toward his mentor, still calling her name. Finally he reached for her shoulders and shook her gently, as he said desperately, "Mary, come on, don't do this to me. Mary please, please wake up."

A gasp and her head snapped up and drawing a deep breath, she stared into his eyes and whispered, "Sweet little cub." She drew in several deep breaths and cupped his face in her hands as she said, "You look better," she gave a weak smile and asked, "How do you feel?"

Stiles assessed himself for a few seconds before he said, "Tired, sore, stronger, hungry."

"Well, of course, you're hungry. You're always hungry, you're a teenager. Plus you're awake now and hate to tell you, kiddo but your metabolism isn't going to level out for a while." The pair smiled at each other and both pushed themselves up to sit on the trunk of the tree behind them.

Followed quickly by Mary squeaking out an "Eep!" as she fell over backwards off the log and began to giggle wildly.

"Hey that's my line," Stiles said as he began to laugh hysterically and then he was on the ground beside her and both of them were laughing uncontrollably for several minutes.

It was several minutes more before they were able to gather enough strength to make their way out of the clearing in the direction of Stiles Jeep. Stiles once again was carrying the duffle as they made their way through the woods but both of them were still bone tired and sore. So there were several stops made.

On the third stop they looked at each other and Mary asked, "So how far do you think we've come?"

Stiles looked around for a quick second and said with a huff, "Not even a third of the way."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she said in a frustrated tone, "O.K. to hell with this." Her eyes went a little unfocused and she muttered something under her breath, seemed to recite it three times. Almost immediately a cooling mist began to fall, Mary pushed herself up the side of a tree and said, pointing to their right and said, "That way, ten yards," The teen took her arm and steadied her as he followed her directions.

Soon he felt like he was pushing through something like wet tissue paper but cold, slimy and he felt an impressive amount of goose flesh raise over his entire body. When it was over he looked up in the half light of dawn and realized he was now about ten feet away from his Jeep. His Baby never looked so good.

After helping Mary into the passenger seat and throwing the duffle in the back. Stiles climbed in the drivers seat, "Where to first Boss Lady?"

"Find a place with good breakfast this time of the morning. You did say you were hungry. Then we take a nap at the hotel till closer to our ten o'clock with those contractors you recommended. Go to the RV renters after lunch and rest again till Parrish gets off at four and have the conversation with his jinn." she laughed tiredly, "Then if we have the energy before you go home for the evening, I want to assess your power levels after the unbinding has settled."

The boy nodded as he turned the wheel at the first intersection to head toward the center of town. They came to one of the 24 hour breakfast places and he pulled into the parking lot. Mary caught his arm though before he could get out of the Jeep and she handed him an envelope. Inside was a wad of cash that could choke a horse. She reminded him when he looked up at her dazed, "The bank did say that it would take one or two paychecks before the direct deposit was properly established. I don't want you walking around with no money until that starts working so…think of this as a signing bonus." She smiled at him and said, "A little carrying around money."

"Mary, this is five thousand dollars. That's not carrying around money, it's a down payment on a house." he said and yep the arm waving was going on, even if he was dead tired.

"So pay off your house, pay off your bills, buy those clothes we talked about, or fix your car. It's your money Stiles, it's the professional thing to do." she said as she climbed out of the Jeep and looking back said, "Now come on, I'm suddenly starved, I know you are too and I want to eat before we crash."

Stiles nodded and joined her, grabbing a blazer from the back of the Jeep he hadn't really worn since his freshman year. It actually looked good with the red t-shirt and black jeans he was wearing. He stuffed the envelope in the inside pocket of the jacket as he walked a little faster so he could open the door for Mary and an elderly couple who had pulled in after them.

Mary waited for him and he took her arm and led her to the counter as he recognized the waitress there. "Ms Sharon where would you like us this morning?" he said as he looked around at a couple of truckers and a few older men who liked to congregate here for the good coffee and lively talk with their cronies.

"Stiles, hey sweetie haven't seen you in a while. You can sit anywhere, we're still running fairly light and most of these folks are just here for the coffee." the older redhead said as she indicated the entire restaurant.

Stiles walked Mary to a back booth as he threw over his shoulder, "Two coffees and two waters please."

"Coming right up sugar," she said as she slid the check under the side of one of the truckers plates with a friendly smile.

The pair slid into opposite sides of the booth and Stiles took two of the menus and handed one to Mary with a grin. She smiled back at him and shaking her head in amusement said, "I take it this place is a personal favorite?"

"Oh yeah, definitely they have great curly fries, incredible chili cheese fries, their crispy scattered hash all the way is literally the bomb and then for desert they have this Reese's cup pie…" he made a great production of wiping his face with a handful of napkins and said, "sorry drool overload." Mary burst out laughing very loudly and it drew all the patrons eyes to the pair.

Both of them ducked their heads and Mary hissed with a huge grin, "You did that."

"Huh uh, I didn't laugh, you did." the boy snarked with a cheeky grin.

Ms. Sharon came over with their waters and coffee mugs, she quickly said, "Leaded or unleaded?"

"Leaded please, and she'll need milk as well." Stiles requested as he pushed the sugar dispenser over to Mary. The woman put several spoonfuls of sugar in the cup before the waitress came back with the carafe and filled their cups. "So you two know what you want?" she asked.

"I think I'll need a few minutes," Mary said as she opened the menu to look at the bewildering amount of food available. "Any suggestions?" and then quickly held her hand up to Stiles with a grin, "besides potatoes and pie?"

"Ah you mean besides Stiles four favorite food groups when his dads not around?" the redhead said nudging the boys shoulder. Seeing the interested expression on the other woman's face she explained, "Grease, caffeine, sugar, and starch." This time Mary caught the laugh in both hands but still kind of snorted.

When she finally settled down she waved her hands a little like Stiles and agreed, "Yeah besides that."

"Depends on if you want breakfast or not, if you do the omelet's are all really good this morning. For you Stiles, Sam is here and we have the fixings for praline pancakes. If you want something a little more savory let me know." the waitress said, while helpfully turning the menu to the two breakfast items she had suggested.

Stiles grabbed another handful of napkins drying his face as he whispered worshipfully, "Praline pancakes. I'll have a double order please, and bacon."

"Western omelets, crispy hash fully loaded, no tomato in either please, I'm allergic, and bacon and grits." Seeing Stiles impressed look she smirked and said, "What? I did say I was starving."

"Ok so I'm tired of talking about business and magic. Let's talk about you and your friends," she asked. "Lets see no talking about other naturals. You are seventeen or eighteen now?" she asked curiously.

"I'll be eighteen mid-December." Stiles supplied easily. "Best friend, Scott McCall, basically my brother except for a slight matter of genetics."

"Ah yes that, a matter of technicalities," Mary said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "How long have you known each other then?"

"Since we were about four I think," Stiles said cheerfully. They continued their discussion, ate their dinner and went and took their nap. Then managed to rent an RV and speak to the contractors with one or two making enough of an impression to be called back at a later time. They rested in her room this time, on the two separate beds as her RV wouldn't be sent over till the next day.

All the while unaware they were being observed.

That evening they headed over to a part of the Sheriff's station that was being remodeled due to the recent damage from the explosions and security issues the town council and State had agreed to loosen the purse strings and pay for some upgrades.

The Sheriff had agreed to let them use the quiet space for their, for lack of a better word, séance. Mary and Stiles were using the few minutes before Parrish arrived to set up a few things and prepare.

Mary was running through the ritual for Stiles for the third time. Even though she was fairly sure the teen had gotten the thing down the first time. She was leery of possessions, the creature who Stiles had started calling the hitchhiker, she had always considered unpredictable. The jinn were always a fickle lot, they could be protective of their host and the next willing to literally throw their benefactor under a bus.

The teen realizing what was going on, gave the older woman a one armed hug and said, "It'll be fine. We know what we're doing."

Parrish came in a moment or two later. Stiles had the deputy remove his gun belt and shoes. He then explained to Jordan that while they would be calling the jinn out of him. Parrish would be awake, aware and be able to talk to the jinn if he wanted to. He took a silver chain and wrapped it around the young deputies wrists loosely.

Then he walked out of the circle and with a smooth action closed it behind him. Mary started to say something when they heard a door slam somewhere and the clicking of heels coming in their direction. Parrish said, "There's no way, I never…"

"Aw, crap," said Stiles. While Mary just looked baffled.

When a vaguely familiar petite redhead whipped aside some of the plastic tarping used to separate the work areas. "So this is what's more important than meeting me for the party I spent weeks planning," she said with a little bit higher pitch than was needed.

Stiles felt the need to step in, "Actually your party doesn't start for another three hours, Lydia,"

"That's not the point, Stiles," Lydia said waspishly, looking past him to the older woman with a sneer. "The fact that he would rather spend his off time with you and your new girlfriend, than with me is."

"Enough!" Mary roared, even Parrish looked a little worried because there was a light trembling in the walls when she had yelled. Lydia opened her mouth as though to scream back, but nothing happened.

"What, did you think you were the only one who could yell?" said Mary rudely, "or just the only one who something would happen if you did?" When Lydia still couldn't say anything, Mary merely smiled and said, "I don't like my reputation impugned. Stiles has said that you are a sweet, highly intelligent, young lady. So far I have seen nothing to indicate the former or later, so I'm hoping to see at least some of the intelligence.

When Lydia merely huffed and turned to walk out the door, Stiles mentor said harshly, "Walk out that door now and I guarantee that spell will never be broken, and you'll never make another sound as long as you live."

Lydia halted in her tracks and Mary after handing Stiles the card with the incantation on it continued, "Whereas if you stay and sit quietly you may learn something. After this ritual I will break the spell and you may leave at your leisure. Your choice."

Lydia looked at the woman suspiciously and then glared at Stiles. The teen shrugged his shoulder and said, "You were rude Lydia both times she's met you. And yes she is absolutely capable of doing what she says."

The young redhead pulled out another chair and after brushing off the, seat she sat down and watched what they were doing. Setting a stone with a few arcane symbols on it on the outside of the circle, "Rosetta Stone in place," she said.

"What, seriously?" Stiles said, looking at Mary incredulously.

"It's a Jinn, Stiles. I doubt it speaks English fluently, and my Pashti is rusty and my Kirdu never was very good. Plus if Ms. Martin is as clever as you say. It will even interpret her thoughts as best as it can," she added.

Stiles stared at her a moment longer before saying, "Yeah, okay but Rosetta stone? Seriously?" He rolled his eyes, just before he started the incantation.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Sometime after a field went up around the deputy. He gasped a little painfully as a shadowy form gently pushed its way clear of his chest. It then looked up at them, the fiery sockets looking at each of them. It studied the shield for a moment before speaking, it's eyes narrowed, "You are friends of Parrish?" It's voice crackled and hissed and was very much the sounds of a fire

Before either of them could say anything Jordan replied for them, "Yes, they are my friends?"

"Then they have nothing to fear from me. You showed me humans protect those weaker than you, those who cannot protect themselves. We, some of us do that too. You did that for my family. We tried to protect you and you were trying to protect us." he said and it was obvious that he was glad to have the opportunity to explain things to the man.

"Do you know what happened to your family?" Jarrod asked seriously.

The jinn's expression did not change, and really no one there was certain if he could change his expression much. He seemed to focus on Parrish again and said, "The…you called him warlord of the area was a jinn possessed, an evil jinn. Like humans, wolfs and other creatures there are good and bad jinn. He declared war in our region because there were several tribes of good jinn there."

"After he had sent a poison to infect our people, it made it easier for his men to target the jinn. My family were too weakened by the poison to survive the attack of the warlords men." He continued, "You were the only one of your men to survive the attack. We were both weakened, wounded. Separately neither of us would survive, together we would both survive."

It gave a reasonable facsimile of a shrug before turning to Stiles, he stared at the young man for several minutes, then past him to Mary and then finally it's gaze settled on Lydia before it said, still staring at the titian haired Banshee, "You have such beautiful, fascinating creatures here. It's never boring. There are times that I think that the jinn only fight each other because they are bored and there is nothing else to do."

The jinn had grown to match Parrish in size but when it turned back to the deputy now it shrank back down to the size of the boy he remembered, "Are you going to try to expel me? They can do it." he said indicating the woman and young man.

"You are Aurvat aren't you? Or is that your real name?" Parrish asked with a healthy dose of suspicion.

"Not my real name but yes I am who you remember as Aurvat," said the smaller form.

Lydia suddenly waved wildly, and then her voice was heard asking, "How old are you? You look big then small, then like a kid?"

"In human terms I am much older than I appeared to Parrish, in Jinn terms the age I would appear to be would be more like your friend there," it said indicating Stiles. "Though in terms of power for the Jinn I am back to the age of the image you saw in the desert," it said to Parrish.

"Not confusing in the least," said Stiles with quiet sarcasm before he asked, "What weakened you?"

"I had been poisoned first, I received the strongest dose next to my father. We were trying to protect my mother and sister. Females are becoming fewer because of the evil ones killing them off if they won't accept the claim. The good jinn hold the females in high regard and do their best to protect them." the jinn's voice became softer and sadder as it continued, "That is why I looked so much younger than my sister when we first met. In truth I was the older of us."

"Saving you the first time was much harder, than it was the second time.. establishing the bond between us was actually the harder part…it is harder to explain."

"You had never done that before," Lydia's mental voice made it a statement instead of a question. The jinn snapped around to look at her in what was definitely surprise as it nodded.

"You didn't quite do it right, did you?" Lydia asked looking at him curiously as she dared to rise from the chair and step closer to the circle to study. "You're. stuck now aren't you? You can't survive on your own."

"You are very wise. I see why he likes you, and he thinks you kind because of you helping him to find out about me." the Jinn said growing to a larger form again, as it continued to explain. "I was afraid he would want to rid himself of me, once he found out the truth. But now I can show him what we can become and how we can protect you all and how I can protect him from harm."

Turning back to face Parrish, Aurvat said, "May I show you? It will take practice to maintain and to start we will both tire easily but I want to….."

"Show off," Stiles said helpfully.

"Yes," it said before, touching the deputies hand and flowing up his body to settle itself over him like a second skin and then fiery wings seemed to sprout out of Jordan's back. A sword grew from his hand and the fire settled into him except for the sword, wings and fiery eyes.

Then Stiles closed his eyes and a silvery liquid pooled near the base of the shield to one side before climbing up the inside of the shield to form a mirror of sorts. Jordan gasped in surprise and amazement as he reached up to touch his face just below his eyes. He glanced over at Lydia self-consciously, only to find the Banshee smiling.

"Beautiful," came her voice.

The jinn's voice said, "As I said very wise,"

"Typical teenager," Mary said with a smirk, "At least you both have the same taste in women, deputy."

"Awkward, Mary," Stiles said over his shoulder. "Very awkward."

Lydia snorted and looking over at her friend she said, "Ok fine you're re-invited."

Stiles smiled sheepishly and admitted, "Sorry made other plans. Got some studying to do. Then he looked at his phone and said, "Speaking of which, unless you want to be late for your own party, we better finish this up."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek walked back towards the Preserve. He needed a run to clear his head. He had been spying on Stiles and the woman, off and on all day. Ever since he had managed to track them to the Nemeton. Derek wasn't quite sure why he was so fascinated with Stiles. Why he had always been fascinated with Stiles? Skinny, defenseless Stiles. Not skinny came the wolfs answer and not defenseless, never defenseless and if it was true and he was developing magical skills even less so.

Hyperactive spaz continued the inner monologue. Hyperactive yes but more focused than even Derek himself and no he wasn't a spaz, he never had been. Loyal to the exclusion of all else, including his own safety, to a terrifying extent..

Useless, never that the boy…no man was a soldier, a planner, truly selfless, Derek had been intimidating, threatening, downright rude to the younger man. Instead of running and hiding, Stiles had turned right around and gotten in Derek's face, he had even faced down Peter at his craziest. Derek slowed as he grew closer to the loft, only to sense another presence there. Apparently someone had been dumping in the area again. As for a moment he couldn't really tell who was there, due to the awful smell.

Finally he recognized the familiar voice and Derek was grateful as he realized it was Braeden's voice he was hearing, ah a lovely distraction. He thought as he rode the elevator up, something to take his mind off of Stiles.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N~ So this is the last of this the second chapter. Flame to a Blaze. Stiles power is growing and its only been a few days of his association with his mentor Mary. What will happen next. Please continue to review.****Let me know what you think of my version of Stiles being a bad ass. ~A**

**Chapter 12**

Stiles had finished up the spell and released the circle. While Lydia and Jordan had headed on to the party. He had then driven Mary to her hotel, only to have his mentor scold him for not attending the party. "You know you are still a teenager Stiles. Your meant to have fun."

"Yeah maybe, but this is still Beacon Hills and since we've already been kind of sacrificing to the Nemeton… you know giving it back some of that energy, the beacon is active." he explained a little haphazardly. "So it would be better to stay on my toes, and do the prep work I need to, rather than slacking a little. Besides I have a feeling other than Lydia and Jordan I won't know anyone at the party anyway."

He had already explained to her about everyone leaving him at home for the summer. Mary had called him on it when he tried to play it off as something to be expected, she had detected the heat and sadness in his voice.

The fact that after he had dropped her off his Jeep automatically made the round of Scott, Liam, Malia, and Kira's homes, he tried not to think about too much. Yeah none of them was supposed to be home yet, but he wanted to make sure their homes and families were safe. Not bothering to drop in on Malia's or Kira's family as they seemed to already be in bed for the evening.

He did stop in to visit Melissa for a few minutes doing little things for her like take out the garbage check all the windows for the placement of mountain ash, and magical locks Deaton had set, that sort of thing. Then he headed out to the Loft. In Derek's case, it was more a matter of making sure everything was locked up and secure until the former Alpha returned from wherever he and Braeden had disappeared to after Mexico. He was shocked to find the werewolves SUV in the parking area.

Even though he had promised himself a study session this evening Stiles pulled into the parking lot and turned off his Jeep. He went into the industrial building and climbed the stairs. Normally the teen would use the elevator, but one of the first things he did after the others had left for camp was to clear the stairs of debris.

Derek had wanted to leave the debris to fool others into thinking that no one actually lived there. That had worked a little too well as evidenced by the neon rave that had been put on by Danny. Stiles and the rest of the pack hadn't really been able to do anything about the party without giving away some of the details about the goings on amongst their pack.

So Stiles had cleared the stairs and was now using them to surprise Derek. He wondered if the current elder of the Pack had even noticed the change. Okay yeah the healthier choice of the stairs to reach the third story showed him just how out of shape he was. He decided he needed to start using some of his ever shrinking free time to get back in shape before school started and Coach tried to run them into a smear on the grass.

Stiles reached the door and heard a groan, thinking the worst he quickly slammed the loft door back. Only to find Braeden on top of Derek on top of the table. He opened his mouth to say something when she lifted her head from Derek's chest and looked at him with a wordless shriek showing several rows of razor sharp teeth and blood dripping from her maw.

Without thought Stiles slammed a fist at the woman from across the room throwing her off of Derek and into one of the lofts pillars. The magical attack stunned her, or it as Stiles was fairly certain the Braeden looking thing was the lamia his dad was looking for. Which also made him more than a little scared for Derek's well-being, running down the short set of steps to the table. He saw a bloody but still breathing Derek

His chest was a bloody mess of hamburger and bone and Stiles nearly missed the movement out of the corner of his eye, but with a sweeping motion threw the lamia into another pillar. All the while trying to remember what Mary had said would be effective in killing the lamia.

He tried to not think about what he was trying to scoop back into the werewolf's chest cavity and then he remembered the part about the skin. Although in the gathering dusk it was hard to tell, he knew Braeden's boots and belt looked like some kind of animal skin.

With a hand wet with the blood from Derek's chest, Stiles threw up two circles at once. One to protect Derek and the other to keep the lamia from escaping the loft and potentially getting out to kill or wreak more havoc than had already happened.

"You are not killing anymore of my friends, you bitch." he hissed through clenched teeth as he tried to send enough of his own energy into Derek to jump start his own healing power.

There was a hissing laugh and the thing said, "Who is really the bitch? You are the one who runs with the wolves."

"How did you fool anyone with that voice?" Stiles said keeping it distracted while he tried to figure out which item was it's skin. Braeden's habit of wearing leather was making this more of a challenge than he would wish for. As he had noticed her leather jacket and purse discarded on a nearby table but it was what she was currently wearing that would have given her the ability to change her shape.

The question meant as a distraction gave him the answer though. As the lamia reached for her belt for a second in a self conscious manner. It answered him, "I can do just fine when I'm in a seductive mood," in Braeden's kittenish tones. "But you prefer were's don't you?" and suddenly Malia stood in Braeden's place staring at him as she flashed her blue eyes."

Stiles shook his head in denial as his shoulders hunched and he stepped back to grasp onto Derek's leg for support. Suddenly he remembered Mary's voice, "It can only take the shape of it's victims." Malia and Braeden were lying somewhere dead in the woods.

"Or is it just one were, in particular?", it said back to the guttural tones it had used before. Then it shifted to Derek's form and Stiles felt his legs crumble under him. Except he was holding on to Derek's leg, his warm leg. Groping a little he moved his hand up to grab at the werewolves wrist, and his fingers floundered a bit before he found what he was looking for, a pulse. Sluggish and what Melissa would call thready but still a pulse.

"Come on I can give you what you want most in the world before you die and you know this is the only way you will ever get him." The lamia said, or tried to say. It couldn't quite get the voice, so it was back to using the hissing tones that were no where near Derek's voice.

Stiles opted for snark, "Oh my God, you really think you would pass for Derek? Honestly? Braeden would know better, hell even Malia wouldn't fall for…," he made an all encompassing gesture for the lamia as he stepped toward the barrier. "this."

"Hah, even I can smell you from here, and as for the kissing," he gave a mock shudder, that was a little more real than he intended, as he continued, "Seriously?"

The creature after looking insulted for a split second it had managed to return to its previously seductive look with a hint of anger in its gaze as it replied, "And yet you are feeling loving, I can smell it on you."

"I'm feeling loving and affectionate as you put it because I have the real deal right behind me."

"But I'm the one in front of you, the one you're watching," the lamia said, still in it's gravelly voice that sounded nothing like Derek.

'Yeah, you're the one in front of me, and you've killed at least four of my friends and tried to kill my werewolf." Stiles said angrily.

"Yes and that reminds me. I don't understand why you seem to be in the memories of everyone that I've been in the past several months. In various degrees of course, but why are you so important to so many people? Why are you so special?" It said a little too curiously, as it stared him up and down.

"Just why do you think being in front of me is the safest place for you to be, you useless snake?" Stiles asked as he started to pull as much power as possible from around him.

The Derek faced lamia sneered at him, "You're the useless one, the pathetic one, the only positive thing about you," it said with some consternation, "is you would probably draw more prey than any pretty face I could find to use."

A voice from behind Stiles said, "Not useless, never useless." weakly.

The lamia was distracted by that voice and with a roar Stiles lunged forward through the barrier he had created, breaking it roughly. He slammed his empowered left fist into the jaw of the Derek look-a-like, he used his right to yank the belt from around its waist. He jumped back only to discover apparently he had knocked the thing out.

Grabbing the purse he moved back to the wolf quickly. Searching through the purse desperately for a lighter, "Come on, come on, need a light, need a light." Finally in desperation he dumped the bag out on the table beside Derek's hip.

Using his right hand to sift through the stuff from Braeden's bag, the teen reached with his left hand to pat the werewolves hip absently. "Don't die on me big guy," he said with rough affection and desperation. "Come on Braeden why can't you be one of those bad girls who chain smokes?"

He nearly shrieked when a firm grip stilled his left hand, "Stiles pocket," said a grim, breathless voice, "lighter, hurry. Waking up."

Without even looking up at the werewolves face, Stiles fingers snaked into the pocket and pulled the lighter out and flipped it open. A roar behind him had him turning to face the charging lamia head on, instinctively his foot came up to slam into the torso of the lamia which no longer looked human at all. He kicked out flinging the thing back to the floor as he flicked the lighter on and set it to the belt. The thing lit up quickly and in response so did the lamia.

The short screaming conflagration that followed for some reason reminded him of the night they had killed Peter the first time. When he heard the popping noise he remembered this lamia was mimicking Braeden the arms expert, he flung himself over the wounded Derek. Then despite the pain he knew it would cause pushed with his feet to shove the table over, spilling the pair of them over on the other side.

Thus shielding the pair from the explosion that followed. Somehow Derek ended up on top of him on the other side. When it was over, he lifted the werewolves head from his chest where it had landed only to see the ashen faced wolf barely breathing. Shoving carefully the rapidly tiring Spark was able to shove the werewolf off of him and onto his back on the floor.

Forcing more healing energy into the wound as he desperately tried something Mary had told him he would eventually be able to do but had never tried before. He could feel himself weakening by the second as he called desperately, "Mary, please I need your help, please, please. Mary help me save Derek."

There was a roar, behind them near the loft doors. The door was flung open and there stood Mary in sock feet and pajama clad, she sketched a symbol in the air and the wards around the loft fell before her. As he lost consciousness Stiles whispered, "Save him."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles rose from the darkness gradually but peacefully. He had the strangest dual sensations the pinch at his right inner elbow of an IV and yet no smell of cleansers and antiseptic he was used to in a hospital. Plus there was an over warm sensation of another body right next to him. A head resting on his left shoulder, breath tickling his throat there. The murmur of voices nearby, and then a familiar voice said softly, "Stiles is waking now and the wolf is beginning to rouse as well although more slowly. The fluids have helped both a great deal, thank you Ms. McCall. Please consider what I said about the clinic and treatment area I discussed at the Hale House, I think both would be beneficial. Now shall we see to our troublesome pair?"

A weight that smelled of his fathers favorite cologne caused the mattress of the bed he was lying on near his right hip to lower. He raised his eyelids then slammed them shut again against the sunlight. "Easy cub, give me a minute," he heard a curtain being pulled into place. "Try now, Stiles" Mary's voice said soothingly.

More cautiously this time the teen raised his lids to find his father staring at him anxiously, "Son?" the older man said and his voice was too loud. Stiles flinched slightly but tried manfully not to let his eyes tear up in pain. A hand closed around his bare foot and the pain leeched away much as it would if Scott would use his healing power on him. Looking down he saw Mary's gentle affection rather than his besties puppy look.

"Magical overload" Mary explained, helpfully, "You pushed yourself too far," she said, "Think of it as a hangover without the pleasure of drinking."

Stiles mouth moved but no sound came out, "That would be your bodies defense, no spell casting for 72 hours, no talking for twenty four. You're going to feel up to moving in a few hours, but I think we won't be getting much accomplished today.. Some water I think Sheriff."

When Stiles father released his hand to take the water from Melissa McCall's fingers Stiles took the opportunity to make grasping fingers at Mary. "I was hoping you wouldn't remember that part, cub. Using it won't help your hangover at all," she said, warningly. As she pulled the stone out of the air and placed it at the foot of the bed as the body lying next to him moved slightly and then groaned loudly.

Stiles flinched hard and then he groaned just as loudly. "It's your wolf, yes he is still alive, thanks to you." Stiles didn't move his body but his voice came out of nowhere startling the Sheriff so badly he nearly dumped the water on his son's bare chest.

"Is he healing? The wound is it.." then he flinched again as a lance of pain went through the center of his head.

Mary reminded him gently, "Limit your words Stiles. In this instance babbling, even mentally is not your friend. He will recover and very well thanks to you."

"The lamia?" the voice said out of thin air and it was clear that both the Sheriff and Ms. McCall were both a little freaked out by it.

"The lamia is nicely crispy and looking like any other human ashes, we're still trying to come up with explaining how it's the murderer though, let alone how it became so crispy." Mary explained in a frustrated tone.

"Braeden, she had incendiary grenades that would do that," Derek's voice said from right under Stiles ear. The moist air from the other mans mouth and the proximity of the mouth to his sensitive skin had Stiles shiver slightly.

"Malia and Braeden are both dead, it appeared as both of them, but it became Derek as well, and he's alive." Stiles said flinching as another spike of pain went through his head.

"But it had tasted him. It wouldn't have been able to maintain the appearance for very long. It probably used a lot of energy to do it. I don't know why it bothered." Mary said thoughtfully.

"Yeah it couldn't maintain the voice at all. Stupid thing, wanted me," if his head wasn't already killing him Stiles would have forced a snort at the lamia's stupidity. "It wanted to know why I was so important to everyone."

"Stiles what's wrong with your voice?" Derek asked without moving from where he was apparently comfortable.

Stiles shivered again and looked at Mary pleadingly, she only said in an amused tone, "Both of you nearly dying, you using magic and the lamia and that's what the werewolf in the room wants to know. Really?"

Slapping his palm over his mouth, Stiles voice said, "Not really helping here Mary. How about scrying for Braeden and Malia's bodies? We can put the lamia near Braeden and use the incendiary grenade excuse saying it was set off accidentally when Braeden was trying to protect herself and Malia. Uhnn."

Stiles groaned protractedly and both his father and Derek said, "Stiles?!" worriedly.

"Gotta stop talking now," the boy said.

"You need to rest now, but just out of curiosity how do you know about scrying?"

Mary said with some curiosity.

"Charmed, Mom's favorite TV show." he said before his whiskey colored eyes slid shut again.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The werewolf whined quietly when Stiles eyes had closed. He had actually touched the teens bare chest to make sure Stiles was still breathing. Mary admonished the sleeping form, "We really need to discuss that self-sacrificing attitude and knowing your limits, young man. Not that I think it will change anything but there will be a discussion."

Ms McCall checked her watch and explained, "I'm already late for work, but I'll be back at lunchtime to check on him, them," she said a little sadly. "I'm sorry about Malia and Braeden." she added touching the Sheriff's arm. Knowing how each death especially among the young people they knew weighed heavily on the Sheriff's shoulders.

Mary was gathering the items that were scattered across the floor from the purse Stiles had upended. When she stood and turned to check for any other contents she was surprised to find Mellissa McCall standing there waiting for her. She stiffened in surprise when the woman embraced her in a firm hug, while whispering, "Thank you, for saving them both."

"No I only maintained them until you arrived with your fluids and medical know how. From the sounds of it Stiles did the saving…" Mary prevaricated.

Mellissa shook the other woman slightly and said, "Who taught him how to do that though? It's true what you said though. That boy has always had a self-sacrificing streak a mile wide where those he loves are concerned and zero self preservation where they're concerned too."

"Noticed that, at least he protected the two of them with wards. Otherwise I probably would have wrung his neck. Yep lessons and studying for the next several days, urgh tomorrow I'm supposed to meet the architect. We'll just have to postpone," Mary said then realizing what she was doing she grinned in a horrified manner and said, "Oh my god, Stiles speak is contagious, who knew?"

Mellissa actually laughed in a relieved manner and said, "I have a feeling we're going to become good friends, Ms. Spenser."

"I agree Ms. McCall, but we're making you more late and I don't want you to be in trouble." Mellissa merely patted her shoulder and headed out of the loft door which was jammed open to let the loft air out.

She passed Deputy Parrish on the way in. "They're okay then?" Parrish asked.

Mary nodded, "They both need more rest and fluids but they're out of the woods. I know you have the problem of fingerprints but I was just gathering up the things from the purse. They got scattered somehow during the fight I suppose."

The deputy nodded and said, "Let me help." It was when he found the wallet that they hit the snag. It wasn't Braeden's wallet, it was Malia's.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Sheriff had brought a topographical map of the area from his patrol car and after they spread it out on the once again upright table. Finding a leather bracelet that the Sheriff said he had seen Malia wear frequently, Mary looped a silver chain through the bracelet and proceeded to scry with it over the map of Beacon Hills.

Unlike previously the map indicated that they would find the remains on the southeast part of town. Parrish pulled up a more detailed map of that section of town on his tablet to help narrow down the location. She explained before scrying on the tablet. "We're hoping we'll find Malia and Braeden together. A little warning though magic and technology don't always mesh well. So hopefully this won't crash your tablet."

They were able to narrow down the location to about 100 yards. Parrish and the sheriff were going to take the lamias remains there. It was obvious that the sheriff was very reluctant to leave his still recovering son behind. Mary said reassuringly, "I'll be here to watch over these two and I'll call you if anything changes. Let me know if you have any luck finding Braeden as well."

The law enforcement officers finally took the ashes which Mary had conveniently boxed up for them to try and find Malia's remains.

Mary walked over to the duo on the large bed. She was gently touching Stiles head for fever when Derek growled at her. To which Mary promptly reached over and swatted the werewolf painfully on the nose.

"Oh no you don't, you bratty little wolf. One you will learn manners, two you haven't claimed him, courted him or even befriended him, as a matter of fact he's convinced you hate him just on principle. So no you don't get to growl over him." she said and she was literally shaking her finger at him furiously, "Three the only reason he is in your bed is he was too weak to move right now. Four considering he was so weak because he just saved your life from someone you thought was your girlfriend, means you absolutely, positively do not get to growl possessively over him you coward. Do it again and I will take a rolled up newspaper to your ass. Do I make myself clear?"

To say that Derek was staring at the older woman wide-eyed and open mouthed was an understatement. When he nodded his head only to have her snap, "Answer me wolf, I can't hear those three brain cells rattling around in that thick skull of yours."

"Yes ma'am," Derek said flinching slightly as he imagined his mother rolling in her grave at his lack of manners. The woman reached over and touched his forehead with her wrist and for some reason her scent calmed him so that he didn't flinch. "You're still a little cool for a werewolf, you need more rest. Go to sleep now."

It was still daylight outside, in truth Derek had no idea what time it was and he wanted to stay awake. He felt the need to stand guard over Stiles for some reason, as he recovered but the woman seeing him stubbornly resisting the call of healing sleep, growled impressively as she said, "Oh you are thick headed aren't you?"

She touched the hand that still rested on top of Stiles chest and suddenly he felt as if a cool fog were drifting across his limbs and up his torso he opened his mouth to say something only to fall asleep mid-sound.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N~ So now we start with the next level of Stiles training and ever increasing awesomeness. Blaze to a Fire. Yep I think I'm channeling my inner Stiles. Please review, my writing improves with every comment you make, I swear. Please continue to read, enjoy, and review. Love you guys. ~A**

**Blaze to a Fire 1**

**Chapter 13**

**The white wolf looked down at the wounded black wolf and huffs. He can't move the larger beta, not far at least and turns to howl into the rising storm. He shuddered with the knowledge this was going to be a bad one. **

**He was about to howl again when a soft bark had him looking to his right as the sleek gray wolf came out of the woods near him. She was not as large as the black wolf either but between the two of them they should be able to move the larger male. **

**Pale changeable green eyes stared at him for a moment before she moved forward and the two scent marked each other. Crawling forward under the front legs of the wounded wolf they managed to get him up and begin moving him toward the den he had been enlarging.**

**His other half really needed to come back and shore up the space but it would survive this storm until the larger dens were ready. Because larger more dangerous storms were coming. He stared into the green eyes of the female, he saw the forest in her eyes as the storm whipped the trees and lightning arced through the sky.**

**He sensed the trouble coming, more enemies. Things that were more dead than alive. The odor of death and old blood so strong even his wolf wanted to empty its stomach. The Reaper must be warned and protected, they were coming. He curled protectively around the black wolf, as the green eyes closed, and reopened into black empty eyes that he fell into. **

**~X~**

Stiles is muttering in the bed, when Mary walks into the loft. She listens in for a moment and hears Stiles say to himself, "Okay so either we both died, which kind of sucks except Derek is here and that means he's my own personal angel. That part is actually kind of great. Except the part where we're dead." he said aloud. "Or maybe I hit my head and this is all a dream. Yeah okay so hit my head, really, really hard and Derek is sleeping on me because…." he reached up and gently stroked his fingers through Derek's hair and down his throat to check his pulse. "And why is Derek sleeping on me, again?"

He nearly jumps out of his skin when Mary brushes his hair with her fingertips, "Why does it not surprise me that you babble even when you can't talk?" she says as she raises the now all too familiar stone to where Stiles can see it, "You still won't be able to talk, talk for several hours but you can get up for short periods. Come and talk to me when you're ready or after Derek wakes up and you have to stop fantasizing about him." she says with a knowing wink at the teen.

Mary ruffles his hair again when he manages to make it to the table where she is sitting on a stool. She holds out what is becoming an all too familiar white carryout box to the younger magic user. "Ok rules are still no magic for another sixty hours at least. No driving or even walking for long distances. Information before you burned it did you notice if the lamias skin had a red stripe on it?"

He thinks for a moment concentrating on the memory of the skin going up in smoke and says, "No, no red that I saw."

"Good," that means it hasn't laid any eggs recently," She says, "but it still doesn't explain why the lamia would go after your friend there. Especially when he is very obviously a werewolf and the lamia actively avoid other supernatural creatures."

They are quietly discussing the possible reasons that the lamia would go after Malia and apparently Derek. They hear a rather loud moan from the bed, Stiles jumps up and is surprised when he is able to call out, "Derek?"

The werewolf is awake and is moving very slowly, still wearing the bloody jeans from the day before. Stiles didn't hover, really he didn't but he does pick the stone up from the foot of the bed and gives it back to Mary surreptitiously as Stiles makes the introductions. "Mary Spenser, this is Derek Hale. Derek Hale this is Mary Spenser, my mentor, employer and the woman who saved your life. So be nice Sourwolf."

"Stiles," the werewolf said sharply.

"Oh please I used magic, to defeat a lamia that was sucking you dry, and you're worried about me calling you Wolf in front of my teacher. Think for a minute idiot." Stiles said his voice a little hoarse.

"I knew your grandmother back in the day, young man. And we will definitely be refreshing your memory about manners, they are a requirement not a suggestion, young man." a flush marred Derek's still too pale face.

With painful politeness, Derek excused himself, "I need to take a shower. Stiles you should tell your father that Braeden and Malia were together, when they headed out."

"We know Derek, the purse the lamia was using, yeah she wasn't paying attention and picked up the wrong one. They're looking for Malia right now. Do you have anything of Braeden's, maybe she left something behind that we can use to scry for her," said Stiles and there was definite sadness as he spoke, "Hell, at this point I'd settle for a piece of tissue to try and work with…"

Stiles gets interrupted when his phone rings.

He looks at his phone and holds up a finger as he answers, "Stillinski." The person on the other end of the phone says something and Stiles says, "Mr. Sands didn't you receive my email about pushing back the date…."

More speaking by the other person, Stiles scowled as he rubbed the area between his brows and responded, "You did, no actually I didn't I've been in…hospital the past couple of days. No, we don't want to wait till October….."

There was more speaking by the architect and Stiles sighed heavily as a full blown headache was forming between his brows. "You're already on your way, I see. No we're not at the Hale House, nor the secondary sight, hold on I'll give you directions." The teen rattled off directions to the loft and got an idea of when Sands would be arriving.

He hung up and looked at Mary and said, "The architect couldn't reschedule, he said he had his secretary send me an email last night. He's on his way right now. It's either see him now or reschedule for sometime in October because he's leaving the country until then to work on some big project in Hong Kong.

"You're rebuilding Hale House?" Derek growled in a shocked tone, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Stiles whose headache was in full bloom and steadily growing, snapped at the former Alpha, "When exactly was I supposed to tell you? When you abandoned your supposed Pack… again? No, that's right I was supposed to call you, on your phone that you never answered. When you got back? Which you never told anyone about. Or when you were screwing your supposed girlfriend who turned out to be the lamia. Which I also would have warned you about if you had bothered to let someone know you were back in town, Or maybe when I was saving your ass from the lamia. Nope you pretty much had a hole in your chest where she had tried to suck your heart out. Imagine her disappointment at finding it was already gone…."

"Stiles," Mary said warningly.

"NO! I'm tired of being disappointed in my pack. Scott and his little wolfie pals running off to God knows where. Abandoning this town to whatever is coming our way. I'm tired of you," he says pointing at the werewolf and said with a dramatic tone, "Derek Hale, supposedly last of the Protectors of Beacon Hills. Except you keep running off. You run off to take care of Cora except she's with another pack now. She doesn't need your protection. So instead you run off with Braeden, run off to who knows where. Run away from…"

Derek is surprised and a little appalled to see rage and the sheen of tears in Stiles eyes as he seems to run out of steam and says, "Actually, you know what I don't even halfway care anymore. Mary we'll do what you said, we'll set up Hale House for them Derek and Scott and whatever of their pack they want but I'm opting out of their Pack." He said staring at Derek with something like disgust or disappointment, "You hear me Sourwolf, I'm out."

With that he drew in a deep breath and said, "I'll go outside to wait for the architect, I need to cool off anyway."

With that he storms out of the loft leaving the door standing open. Slammed right off its heavy track by the Spark. Leaving Mary and Derek facing each other with the werewolf looking shell shocked.

Mary looked at the wolf and drawing a deep breath, "I'd apologize for him, make the excuse that he did just discover he was a Spark, did have his powers unbound, spoke to a jinn and saved a werewolf he likes from being unmanned and unmade by a lamia." The older woman said charmingly, "Said werewolf then having a fit because his Alpha's friend is actually having the family manor remade for him and his Pack." then she said, "Yeah, no I think he actually went easy on you. So yep, sorry no sympathy at all."

"His eyes changed," Derek mumbles numbly.

"Yeah that's the magic, don't worry you'll get used to it, if he ever talks to you again after this.. It doesn't mean he's a demon or anything…." Mary explained.

"No his eyes when he said he was out of the Pack, they bled into Alpha red. How can they, he's not…."

He looked up to see the woman smiling a pleased if mysterious smile, that for some reason made him a little nervous. Stiles came in through the open loft door, "Mary," he said looking between the two before saying "Mr. Sands is here."

The architect comes in behind Stiles, he is a tall slender handsome man in his fifties perhaps, with cheekbones that could cut paper. Blond hair cut stylishly and a business suit. He seems surprised to see there is actually an apartment in the space, and seems a little impressed.

As Derek works to get the heavy loft door back on its tracks. It takes him a moment or two to manipulate the heavy door back onto its track. They go over the plans and she explains what she wants to do with Hale House. "I want to rebuild the house, the structure in appearance being pretty much as before with a few improvements." She then asks Derek, "Do you have any input Mr. Hale? Is there anything that didn't work well previously in Hale House or anything that could be improved for Scott and the rest of the…family?"

He kept his eyes on Stiles who was busy doodling on what looked like a sketch pad. When Derek was less than helpful, being distracted by the teen. Stiles looked up and shook his head before he spoke up, "The wiring needs major improvements beyond the current code, and a set up for WiFi. They'll need a much larger kitchen, at least two more bathrooms and a fireproof safe room in the basement complete with an air circulation system. It needs to be large enough to accommodate at least a dozen comfortably."

When Sands looked condescendingly at the young man and started to argue, "If Ms. Spenser wants to keep the lines of the structure intact, it will be impossible to make such extensive changes….especially the safe room"

The young man stood up and stalked toward the table where they had the plans laid out and snapped, "You do know what happened to the previous occupants, don't you, Mr. Sands?" He pointed at Derek and said with enough venom to make the architect visibly flinch, "His family died in an 'electrical fire' in the house. He, his uncle, and sister are the only survivors, make the changes." Then he tossed the sketch pad down on top of the other blue prints, "and if Mary doesn't mind that's going to be the sister house."

"Sister House," Derek and the architect echoed.

Stiles pulled out the geographical map of the Preserve and pointing to a spot said "It's going to be built here." He said indicating a plot of land at the other end of the Preserve. He looked at Mary with a dark look in his eyes, "We're going to need something bigger than what you had in mind and right now as far from Hale House as possible." He turned back to the architect and said, "Can you work with that?"

"Yes it's a start, can I see the property now."

"Yeah I'll take you," Stiles said.

"No you will not," said Mary sharply, "You are still recovering you will stay here. Mr. Hale is fully recovered he will take us in your baby and you will order something to be delivered later. Yes you may have pizza if you so desire. Meanwhile use your keen brain to figure out why your friend was attacked."

He sneered a little and said, "Not sure you'd call him a friend Mary."

Indicating the architect with a lift of her eyebrow Mary said much more quietly, "He better not be an enemy if you saved his life at risk of your own or I may have to kill him myself cub, just on principle."

Derek, Mary, and the architect head out to Hale House while Stiles relaxes on the couch. He scrubs his face with his hands and yeah he was definitely serious about the whole Pack thing he didn't mind being part of something great.

It was being the one who did the grunt work and didn't get any recognition it was being the one always left behind to get hurt or to save the day but still not even getting a thanks. It was being the one hurting all the time, because of physical pain, mental anguish or just emotional exhaustion because he wasn't sure if anyone except for his dad and Mary would even care if he died.

He felt the sparkle of power under his skin and worked to maintain his control. His anger didn't help, he figured working magic was like driving, don't do it angry or you couldn't predict the results. Especially since he had just gotten his voice back from his last big expenditure of magic and didn't want to lose it again. He didn't have anything to do with music here, so drawing would have to do.

Gratefully he saw that Mary had taken the drawing but had left the sketch pad behind. He rolled up the papers and secured them at the end of the desk by putting paperweights on either side. He then lifted his hips onto the table, slid to the middle and sat Indian style under the giant skylight and began to draw. He was grateful he had remembered the measurements for the lower level. Something they had to find out when they figured out how much water would be needed to fill the loft floor for the fight with the Alpha Pack.

He quickly sketched out the floor plan for the lower level. He had never been to the upper level where Peter's room was, he didn't even know if Peter's stuff was still up there, considering the other wolf now resided in Eichen House. He would have to remember to ask him the next time he went to visit.

He started with the main living area, he moved the bed over between the two windows, and then erased it entirely. He had several more false starts before he took a deep breath. He was angry, he needed to let that go as he could already feel his mind going to dark places that involved filling the space with weapons and traps. His vivid imagination going into the strategist but not in a protective way, well it was, but a little too aggressive for this to be a good place for the pack.

With a sigh he went into the back areas finding a rather rudimentary bathroom, with a basic shower. An area that seemed to be mainly used for a storage area with several boxes that smelled strongly of smoke and ash, it was still half empty though. There was also what appeared to be an empty space behind a wall he figured it might be for mechanicals, piping and so forth. He made a note "kitchen, go through boxes in storage area."

He knew the boxes from the smell of them were from the Hale House and therefore were the property of the Hales. He also figured that they didn't want to go through them, because of the emotional landmines that probably lay within. Stiles while understanding was more concerned with what could help the Pack and keep them safe.

He sat for a moment on the floor and considered how he could find out what was behind the wall of the blank space. Then he remembered that Mary had once told him that the only real way to get the answer, was to ask the question. So he did, hoping that this wouldn't be something that would end up using magic anyway.

Putting his hand on the wall, he said politely, "I know we have put you through a lot the past few years. What with broken windows, okay lots of broken windows, one wild party, a ton of water, lots of fighting and so forth. I'm really sorry but look I…I want to make this a safe place for my pack, even if they have been douches, okay scratch that, anger talking." He said, beginning to ramble, his fallback communication method.

He drew a deep breath and continued, "I need to protect my friends and the wolves who live here," he said leaning forward slightly, "He…they are kind of important to me." he continued and a very clear image of Derek came to him, in the desert town in Mexico. The smile he gave before he had left them there and gone off with Braeden.

He then shook his head, "Don't get distracted. Can you show me what this whole floor looks like. I want to make this a more comfortable living space for the Pack, but especially Derek and I guess Peter if he can prove he's sane enough to get out of Eichen House. Distracted again Stiles."

His head had leaned forward till it was touching the wall, he picked up the pencil and pad and began drawing. "So I don't want to change Peters area in case he comes back. But Derek needs a private space for his room but still kind of open."

"I know wolves have dens but Derek is more an out under the sky kind of wolf than a cave wolf. Probably cause there are times I swear I think he's a throw himself on the atomic bomb kind of guy. Not that I'm saying he's suicidal, although sometimes I wonder. Yep I'm babbling again, sorry."

He looked down at the pad that he had been working on, and drew his head back a little to get a better look in the dodgy light. The drawing was actually of three floors, if you counted the loft. The loft still had what he considered Peter's space, but space was taken from over the storage space, bathroom and the hollow behind the wall. Stiles had designed a room for Derek.

He had a queen sized bed, with a nightstand and lamp. A comfortable chair was by the window with a tea table and another lamp. He had also put a wall sized book shelf. For books and knick knacks and a walk in closet. He had drawn improvements to the bathroom on this level putting in recommendations, including an actual bathtub.

The storage area and the empty space had been turned into a galley kitchen, but there was still an empty space behind the wall and it was too big to just contain the pipes and so forth. There would be a comfortable couch under the edge of the loft with bookshelves on either side to contain the books they used for research. Some were from the Argents, some were what Stiles had collected, and some were able to be salvaged from the Hale collection. He also made a note to put a WiFi connection in that area.

A training area was set up where Cora had once slept. And into the area where Derek presently slept but there was also going to be a large safe. The area that had once been their planning area was made a little more functional with backed stools. He put a note on the pad to start collecting more detailed maps of the area.

The lower level which was actually larger because of the catwalk that connected other parts of the facility. Stiles designed separate areas for the females, males, and couples in the pack. Then he had apparently kept making more rooms. "A pack must grow to survive. A lone wolf will not survive."

The words kept echoing in his head, and Stiles turned with his head leaning against the wall and finished adding a communal area just below this apartment with his and her baths, a full on kitchen that would satisfy even his master chef soul. An entertainment system, with comfortable couches and furniture that would keep a pack of teenagers happy. As well as notes for sound proofing that would keep a pack of wolves from ripping each others throats out hopefully.

When he was done he whispered, "Thanks for listening," before reaching for the cell phone he had tucked in his pocket. He hit speed dial #1 on his cell phone and waited for the three rings before his dad's voicemail came on, "Dad, it's me, wanted you to know I can talk now. I also wanted to know if you were able to get hold of anyone to collect either Malia or Danny's…remains or their relatives? I'm ok although Mary says I can't really travel just yet. So I thought if you wanted I might see if we can order some takeout and eat here."

Suddenly he heard someone coming up in the elevator and said, "Anyway call me back and let me know something. Oh I am still at the loft by the way, in case you couldn't figure that out, anyway call me back. Dad, I love you." he said thoughtfully before closing the phone and heading back into the main area of the

loft

He glanced down at his phone only to discover it was really too early for Mary and the architect to return. Then the door to the loft is slammed open again with what Stiles could only call a whine of protest for the abuse it was suffering in one day followed quickly by the redhead screeching at him, "Why didn't you call me?! Do you have any idea what you took on? A lamia, really? Why didn't she gobble you up?"

"Not its type, and there wasn't really time to call anyone. Then after that there was the whole coma and being mute thing. Kind of makes gossiping with my gal pal a little….low on my list of priorities, sorry. " Stiles sassed gently as the usually aloof Lydia wrapped her arms around him and tried to squeeze the stuffing out of him.

"Stiles, it was a lamia," Lydia said as she drew back and added, "Pretty much, anything breathing would have been its type."

"Parrish told you huh?" Stiles asked quietly.

"Well yeah, but you could have called me when you got your voice back." the titan haired teen said with a hint of aggravation in her tone.

"Sorry kind of had other things on my mind. Would you listen to me if I said you need to be more careful the next few weeks?" he added as he stared into her eyes seriously.

"Why?" she asked hoping for more detail.

"Just a feeling, the next couple of months, the full moons I think are going to be bad ones." he said as he gazed at the other teen thoughtfully.

"Even without Scott and the others being here?"

"Maybe because they're not here. Just be extra careful, please for me." Stiles begged pitifully. "Least till I get back up to speed."

"Stiles you never have been up to speed." the Banshee used her sharp tongue to tease him.

"Hey I resent that I was up to speed, sometimes, just not about everything." The pair laughed a little at that before Stiles said sadly, "Lyds did Parrish tell you about Malia, Braeden and Danny?"

"Yeah," she said on a slow breath. "I've been trying to get hold of Jackson or his family to let him know, about Danny. His parents said that…that Jackson disappeared several months ago. He and his dad got into a big fight. They said Jackson was being unreasonable.. They wouldn't tell me what the fight was about, but they don't know where he is." Although she hid it well Stiles easily recognized the fear in her tone and the concern for the former lacrosse player.

She met Stiles eyes and her eyes were saddened and horrified as she said, "Stiles he's a lone wolf what if its not because of the fight that he disappeared?"

"No I refuse to believe that, Jackson is too arrogant to be dead. Heaven would be afraid he'd seduce the angels and hell would be afraid he would take over." Lydia gave him a look before she snorted in laughter.

Stiles gave a small smile of relief as he had succeeded in taking her mind off of Jackson's disappearance before saying thoughtfully, "Do you still have that key?"

"What you mean the one to his house?" At Stiles nod she said curiously, "Sure."

Stiles replied, "Can I borrow it?"

"Why?" asked in a confused tone.

"Just a little experiment. Can you bring it by my house in a coupe of days? I should be recovered enough to go home by then." the brunette said seriously.

"Sure, how's day after tomorrow?" Lydia offered helpfully

"That'll be great." Stiles said gratefully. They talk a little longer and as she gets ready to leave he asks, "Hey Lydia, what's a reaper?"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N~ So not much magic here but a lot of re-establishing relationships and friendships here. Stiles is still recovering after all. Please enjoy but don't forget to read, enjoy and review. Please, please, please, puppy dog eyes. ~A**

**Chapter 14**

He knew it was going to be bad when Lydia actually tottered on her three inch Jimmy Choo's. He lurched forward and caught her arm gently. Leading her over to the couch under the stairs, one of Peters contributions to the loft. He had to admit Creeper Wolf had good taste and an excellent eye for comfort.

"Come on," her ordered gently, "Sit down. Now tell me, everything you know about the Reaper."

She slipped her shoes off and gracefully lifted her feet up beside her on the cushion, leaning herself against the back of the couch. The pairs fingers entwined as they both reached for the other along the back of the couch. Stiles sitting a short distance from her, still giving her space to get over her shock at the question.

"The Reaper, is or will eventually be me. If I don't get myself dead before then." she said with a haunted expression on her face, "Reapers are…well you know how you said Derek 'evolved' into the wolf form of an Alpha?"

"Yeah, well his word, but yeah," the boy said and there was the flash of something in his eyes that had Lydia decide to ask him about what was going on with he and Derek later.

"Basically a Reaper is what a Banshee evolves into if they don't go crazy or die. Reapers are still mostly human, but they become like…oh crap what do you call them. Valkyries."

"The ones that choose the best warriors for Valhalla, seriously. Ragnarok, Odin and everything."

"Not sure about what the rest of that means but as for the Valkaries sort of. Basically, Reapers retrieve the dead and choose where they go. If they're good they go to heaven If they still need work, they can choose to send them to Purgatory, Hell, a certain section of Hell if they need special punishment for their crimes. Of course, if they have certain beliefs they can go to their own versions of hell, or be reincarnated, or even in extreme cases back to life. But that rarely happens." she said pursing her lips.

"So they're kind of a combination of Death and a Grim Reaper?" Stiles said with more excitement and enthusiasm than Lydia thought was appropriate if her expression was anything to go by.

She did nod her head as she said, "Yeah, but like Banshees, Reapers are getting rarer and harder to find." She looked around the surprisingly neat looking space and said, "You haven't been researching so where did you come up with Reapers, Stiles?"

The other teen shifted his eyes away from his former crushes too sharp gaze as he said with futile casualness, "Oh no where, really."

Only to feel the bite of her nails digging into his hand where there fingers were joined. "Don't lie to me, Stiles." the redhead said sharply.

"Ow, ow, okay," Stiles said trying unsuccessfully to wrest his fingers from Lydia's kung fu grip. When she got the response she wanted she released the fingers which Stiles began to nurse gently. Giving the Banshee a slightly wounded expression Stiles said, "So I may be having these dreams, visions, warning things. Like I said something bad is coming and I was warned to keep the Reaper safe by my subconscious, I warned you."

"A little strange, but sweet. Considering we've dealt, with werewolves, kanimas, rogue Alphas, a whole pack of Alphas, a crazy Druid witch, being on a giant hit list. Let's really not get into the Nogitsune. Kitsunes, Berserkers, and everything else that goes bump in the night. I think I'll take the warning in earnest. One thing what's coming after me?"

Stiles looked a little non-plussed before pulling himself defensively into the far corner of the couch and said, "If I say I'm not sure are you going to use your Queen Fu grip on me again?"

The titian haired teen, gaped at the reference and then burst out laughing. Apparently if the length of the laughing fit was any indication, she really needed to laugh a little more. By the end she was gasping and sobbing for breath. Stiles was just smiling benignly, secure in the knowledge, that for the time being at least he might be safe from the Banshees wrath.

"We are so patenting that phrase." Lydia said affectionately. "Why do you know that something is coming after the Reaper and that I'm the Reaper but not what it is that's coming after me?"

Stiles shrugged his shoulders in confusion as he responded, "I didn't see it. But whatever it is it is more dead than alive which is probably why its after you."

"You gonna tell the others?" Lydia asked thoughtfully.

"What others Lydia?" Stiles said with a mix of hurt, frustration and anger in his voice. "As far as I can tell supernaturals are a little sparse at the moment. There's you, me, Jordan, Derek, and Mary…that's it. Not counting Peter since he's pretty much locked up until further notice."

Venting the dark haired teen stood and began pacing, his ADHD, kicking in and propelling him into motion, "The lamia just took out Malia, Braeden and Danny. Even if he wasn't supernatural, he was our resident hacker. Everyone else has either moved out, moved on, died or is incommunicado. Not to be too depressing about the shit but you know we are pretty much small potatoes that any Tom, Dick or hairy assed monster could take out with one paw tied behind their back."

"Geez, this Pack is useless. Scott is a great guy but a lousy Alpha and Derek was only better because at least he tried to train the Pack to be ready for what was coming. But how can he prepare them when Scott was always undermining him. Then Scott refuses to bite anyone else which is fine…I get it. How can you protect your territory though, if you're a few hundred miles away and incommunicado for months on end," Stiles snorted in angry amusement, "Which they've both been on multiple occasions, hell at this point I'd say we'd do better if I were the Alpha and we both know how ridiculous that is even to think about."

They stopped talking for a couple of minutes both caught up in their own thoughts, when Stiles asked out of the blue, "Could you do me a couple of favors since I apparently am going to be stuck here for another day or two?"

Lydia looked at him a little suspiciously before saying, "Sure, what'd you have in mind?"

"I need you to go online and go to the library and find anything you can on mining and shoring up cave walls and expanding caves. Preferably without explosives as well as how to build an old fashioned root cellar. I'd do it myself but there's no Wi-Fi here and my Wi-card got broken in the last attack of the monster du jour before Scott and the others left."

Lydia quickly fished her phone out of her purse and typed the information into the device before saying, "Anything else?"

Stiles sat down beside her on the couch, his eyes far away as he thought, "Yeah see what's involved in claiming unclaimed bodies when you're not a family member, lawyer or…what's the thing where you're in charge of the will, estate whatever?"

"Beneficiary?" Lydia asked her brow furrowed.

"No that's the recipient." said Stiles getting a little frustrated.

"Well you are receiving the body," Lydia supplied a little waspishly, in answer to his frustration. "Oh wait, its an executor. Wait you want to claim their bodies, Danny, Malia and them?"

"They are Pack, they should be taken care of by Pack. Not left in some sterile, frozen, drawer somewhere or in a pine box, in some paupers field. Even if we only bury them the way Derek did Laura at least they'll be where they're loved and remembered." Stiles said eyes sad and a little tired.

Lydia added it to her list and moved forward and kissed Stiles on the forehead as she said, "I'll see what I can do. You are a good man, Stiles Stilinski. Don't let anyone tell you different. Get some rest."

She rose from the couch and walked to the door of the loft. When she got there she turned to look back and said, "And you would make a great Alpha."

When she left Stiles leaned back on the couch, letting his head fall back. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, Derek, Mary and the architect, Mr. Sands were back and standing at the table.

Mr. Sands and Derek were actually studying his drawings. Stiles felt a flash of anger go through him. Obviously it showed as the architect looked up at him and stepped back quickly.

"What are you doing?" said Stiles trying to snatch the sketchpad back.

"These are very good Stiles," Derek said seriously, "Mr. Sands and I were just admiring them."

"Don't make fun of me Sourwolf," he said so only Derek could hear. Still trying to get the sketchpad. Unfortunately, he was a little stiff from sleeping on the couch. So his movements were a little limited and Derek was using his superior height to advantage.

"Not making fun Stiles, trust me. I know what I'm talking about." Derek said earnestly as he took the younger mans shoulder to steady him and so he could look in his eyes seriously."

Mr. Sands jumped in to agree, "Your friends not wrong Mr. Stiles…"

"Stilinski," all three of the other occupants in the room said as one."

"Sorry, Mr. Stilinski, you have a great deal of raw talent," he said as he fished in his inside jacket pocket and drew out a card. "If you would like to try an internship with us, please don't hesitate to call. My office also funds a full scholarship program at CalTech and Berkley. And another for engineering if that's more to your liking. If you were interested in pursuing a career in architecture I would definitely put you up for the scholarship. Let me know, I'll be around for the next few months at least."

He gathered up some papers and said, "Mr. Hale, Ms. Spenser I look forward to doing business with you."

"Did he just offer me a full scholarship?" Stiles gaped his face pale as he added, "for a doodle?"

"Obviously he didn't think it was just a doodle cub and yes, he did." Mary offered with a pride filled smile.

"It's _not_ just a doodle, neither was the other drawing you did of the Sister House." Derek said, before adding a little more quietly. "Look, I'm sorry, I overreacted to you not telling me about Hale House. I'm grateful for what you are doing at the house. I know you're mainly doing that for Scott and the others…"

"And you," Stiles said in a slightly defensive tone. The expression on Derek's face was stunned surprise, and Stiles actually felt like he had been kicked in the gut on behalf of the former Alpha.

"Really Derek," said the Spark, "You may have been a grouchy, grumpy Sourwolf of an Alpha, but your still a member of the Pack and always will be. Heck at this point I'm out of the Pack but I'm not even sure I was part of the Pack except on an as needed basis. If you ever need to feel Pack-like you can come to the Sister House. I know what it is for a wolf to feel abandoned by his Pack and I'm sorry if they, if we made you feel that way…"

"You never did," Derek replied as he took Stiles arm and turned the younger man to face him. "When I bit the others, you were never angry. You were actually grateful that I bit Isaac and Erica especially. And after Boyd explained about being lonely…."

"Of course I understood, Scott would to, he just had a really bad experience with Peter and…"

"And why are you here and he's not?" Derek said as he moved even closer to the brunette. "Where is your Pack Stiles?"

Stiles gaped at him blank faced for a minute before a pained expression flashed across his face, "My Pack is gone." Stiles replied on a slightly choked tone, not meeting the werewolves eyes as he said it. "I killed it, when I killed Allison and Aiden," he said as he tried to pull away from Derek's hold on his arm.

Only to find himself reeled towards Derek as the wolf said, "I caused Erica and Boyd's death," said the former Alpha. "Do you blame me for them?"

"W-What n-no." said the Spark as he finally looked at the older man in confusion wondering how they had gotten from an argument over Hale House to this point. He looked over for Mary hoping for some help from his mentor only to discover her no longer in the loft. Then a little something kick started in his head and he added, "That was Deucalion and his Alpha Pack, not you."

Then the teen slapped Derek in his chest and added, "And while we're on the subject of your self-inflicted but totally undeserved guilt fest. Kate and her hunter/arsonist pals including my former science teacher are responsible for burning down Hale House in the first place…not you. Kate is the sick, psychopathic pedophile who seduced you, tricked you and destroyed your family and your home. It wasn't your fault, Derek, you were tricked."

"Just like you, the Nogitsune tricked you Stiles. You were trying to protect the people you loved and, the fox spirit tricked you. Why when you can see how I was tricked, you can't see the same for yourself?" Derek pulled the younger man closer holding him in place against his chest as he argued his point.

"But I liked it…I liked it Derek. For once I liked being the strong one, the one who had the power…I liked it. I liked manipulating people, I liked throwing you against the wall for a change…." He looked up at the werewolf and even though there were tears in his eyes, the pair suddenly burst out laughing.

"Not like I didn't deserve it after how many times?" Derek said shaking his head.

"Lost count," Stiles agreed on a sob, as tears trailed down his cheeks, a mix of sorrow and mirth in their scent. Without thinking the teen leaned his head forward on to Derek's shoulder.

"I've failed this pack and you as an Alpha, as a leader and as a friend." The older man caressed the back of Stiles neck absently.

"If you say, it's your fault again, I'll beat the crap out of you, after I've recovered." the human replied without heat.

"Brilliant strategy there, telling me what you plan to do to me before you do it." said the werewolf on a huff of laughter.

The human gave the werewolf a playful shove, separating them as he said, "Course it's my method of lulling you into a false sense of security, then when you least expect it, I pounce."

Derek laughed saying, "Wolves don't pounce."

"Yeah well, never actually said I was a wolf." Then something the werewolf had said had Stiles looking at Derek strangely as he asked, "Wait did you just say we were friends?"

Looking at the human in shock and then disappointment Derek replied, "I really have screwed up haven't I?" When the teen tried to step back farther, Derek held him in place with a gentle but firm grip to his neck. "Please listen," he pleaded. It was the tone as much as the word please that held Stiles in place but he did raise his head to look the other man in the eye.

"I was trying to keep you at a distance. I thought McCall was weak for having you as a friend. A pack of friends, a family. My Mother and Peter never really explained or understood the importance of having friends to us, to me. You didn't either, you just were. You are my friend Stiles, I need you as my friend. You are teaching me how to be a better man. You were teaching me to be a better Alpha. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm…I need you to help me work on it. I'm sorry I haven't said it before, but I am your friend, yes and I'd like you to do me the honor of being my friend, please?"

Derek swore he saw a sheen of tears in the teenagers eyes as Stiles said a little cheekily, "Geez Derek I thought there would be a Twilight or Star Trek quote in there somewhere." Derek's face fell a little as he thought Stiles was taking his offer as a joke.

Taking the older mans shoulders in his hands Stiles replied more seriously, "I've thought we were friends almost since the beginning I just never believed you wanted me as a friend, Scott yeah sure but me…why would you want me? So yeah we're already friends, man. You and me.. we're good." he said with a quirky smile


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N~ Not a geologist or meteorologist so any errors in later parts of this chapter are purely my own. Also not into real estate so much so price points were done using real estate sites in the region I imagine is close to where Beacon Hills would be. Hope everyone is continuing to enjoy the story. Keep reviewing please. Love you guys. ~A**

**Chapter 15**

**A couple of days later: **

Stiles was grateful to Mary for taking care of the legal wrangling over the bodies of his friends. The family of Danny's ex had claimed his body but none of them had apparently even known who Danny was which in a way kind of relieved Stiles but also kind of pissed him off on Danny's behalf. Finding Danny's family or Malia's adoptive father had proven futile. The Sheriff was more than half convinced the lamia had killed Danny's family and Mary felt the same.

Malia's stepfather was another matter, Deputy Parrish had come to Stiles to inform him that apparently Malia had arranged to be legally emancipated from her adoptive father. The man had apparently packed up and left town soon after that.

He and Derek had spoken and had agreed that her remains were to be buried near the Hale House. Before Derek had managed to collect the body Stiles had collected a lock of Malia's hair which he had enclosed in a sealed envelope. He wasn't the sentimental type usually but some instinct had him sneaking in and doing this.

Stiles was finally fully recovered from the lamia attack, at least in his opinion. Mary still wanted him not to practice magic for a while. She had him running errands, currently he was looking for an apartment for the other woman. Building the Sister House was going to take several months and while the RV was actually a very good alternative, clean and comfortable, it was still an RV.

She had been fine with an apartment as long as it was conveniently placed, as she still preferred to walk most places when possible. Although she would personally have preferred a rental home that was a little more isolated, Beacon Hills was still a relatively small town, listings were limited. The price limit she had placed was 2000 a month. She had told him that anymore than that and it would be more reasonable for her to buy a home.

Stiles had agreed with Mary on the point but looking at homes and apartments some of which were so disturbing he didn't even bother walking past the living room. Then there were the ones that looked like Mary's grandmother would have been comfortable in the building. He liked buildings with character but the ones that basically hadn't been modernized at all were something that were useless to them both. He finally found a place near the school and the center of town. The layout of the place itself was open and yet surrounded by woods and gardens.

When he paid the man in cash, the realtor had looked at him suspiciously and said, "Aren't you the Sheriff's son?" Stiles had nodded his head as he continued to fill out the paperwork for a 6 month lease. "You doing this for your dad, some kind of sting operation or something?"

"No sir not a sting operation or anything to do with my dad, just doing my job. Is this everything?" he said handing the man the paperwork back to check. The man had looked it over and nodded his head and would have started asking even more questions but the teen had only waited long enough for the man to hand him his copy of the paperwork and the keys to the house, before he left. There were times when he really got tired of the gossipy nature of the people of Beacon Hills.

They could ignore werewolves, mass murders, things that go bump in the night, but where there wasn't anything they would make things up. Where the sheriffs son was doing a simple thing like renting or leasing a house for his boss, they saw a sting operation. A drug dealing disgrace of a son for the sheriff, or a totally inappropriate relationship with an older woman in a love shack.

Stiles felt the frustrated tingle of magic travel up and down his arms as his free foot tapping on the floor mat of the Jeep. His nerves and agitation were making him want to do something and that need was feeding the spark. Making it want to act out. He had learned enough control in the past several days to not do that though.

Then Stiles knew what he wanted to do, he was already near the school and the woods. He pulled into the lacrosse field parking area. He was actually surprised to see a couple of strange cars also parked in the lot. He thought he saw some runners over on the running track, but ignored them.

He climbed into the back of his Jeep to change into his running clothes and trainers. When he climbed back out of the confined space he was wearing his gym shorts and t-shirt with the sleeves cut out. He began warming up carefully, he pretended that he wasn't into maintaining his physical fitness. Coach often harassed him about being fat and useless.

The truth was there was a reason the others teased him about being the boy who ran with wolves. The funny thing was while it was meant to be a joke, he really could for the most part keep up with the rest of the pack. When they were doing their Super Wolf running then he had to use his knowledge of the surrounding terrain to take shortcuts.

Right now though he was on his own so he could keep the pace he wanted. Right now he wanted to stretch himself, he wasn't going to go far from the parking lot, he wasn't stupid. He knew he was pushing it as it was, being recently recovered from a near burnout of his Spark. The magic took at least a small part from his physical well-being, Mary would kill him if he overdid it. He just wanted to run out some of his aggravation.

Surprisingly he and Derek had managed to work out a lot of their issues in the past couple of days. Stiles ruminated as he warmed up a little more glancing around before walking into the edge of the woods. He found one of the packs usual running paths and turned and began to jog along the path before working up to a faster speed. The pounding of his feet hitting the packed earth of the forest floor was a match to the even rhythm of his heart.

A perfect backdrop for his thoughts as he considered how annoying it was that the people of this town could so easily dismiss the deaths and disappearances of some of its young. They ran away, committed suicide, got into things they shouldn't have, who knew? The town didn't seem to care so much.

Some of the teens in question were trying to save the town from supernatural threats, and got burned out or murdered because of it. They were warriors and heroes but they were vilified as drug abusing runaways who ended up dead or disappeared and then just became fodder for the local gossip mills. With a growl Stiles picked up the pace again as he bounded over a fallen log.

He missed his friends, his Pack and he wanted them back, but he missed the ones who were gone even more. Danny, Allison, Erica and Boyd, and yes even Aiden. He also missed the irritating Jackson, sweet Issac, and surprisingly gentle Ethan. He still felt the slight burn of anger towards Scott and his pack…the thought had the Spark stumble to a stop next to a small stand of maples.

Scott's pack, were the ones who had gone with him to the camp. The ones who were dead had of course lost any connection to any pack. The ones who were missing for the most part had a stronger connection to Derek's pack. The thought had a plan come to life half-formed in his mind. Pushing off from one of the trees, Stiles continued his run through the woods.

His body moving automatically through the trees, while his mind worked out more of the plan as he ran. He didn't even know if what he had in mind was possible or if Mary would even be willing to let him try it. Maybe if he made her understand it wasn't negotiable. That would be pushing it but once he set his mind to the plan, he was set on the course he had in mind.

He realized he was flying through the woods leaping long legged over fallen trees and berms easily. Then he realized he was no longer alone. He nearly tripped over his own feet as he stumbled to a stop with a shout, "Geez Derek are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

The beta ran a few yards further before walking back and saying helpfully, "No trying to stop you from having one. Do you have any idea how fast you were running or how far you've come?"

"No, why are you keeping track?"

"Yeah, kinda. Considering you were more dead than alive just a few days ago." Derek said with a huff of breath.

"So were you Sourwolf." Stiles said as he leaned over bracing himself on his knees as he caught his breath.

The older man ignored that as he repeated, "Do you know how fast you were going?"

"You sound just like one of my dad's deputies. Hey if you're still having money issues because of Peters mental blather, that actually might be something to consider. What did you go to college for anyway?" Stiles said trying to distract Derek. The former Alpha only crossed his arms and stared at the younger man.

"Fine, no I do not know how far or how fast I was running. I don't really keep track of that sort of thing. Why?"

The werewolf took his arm and led him into a nearby clearing only to find the Nemeton. Stiles checked his watch to find he had run seven miles in less than fifteen minutes. He knew the speed probably had something to do with his Spark but he didn't feel as if he had used any magic. "Interesting." he said more to himself than to Derek.

"So are you following me or are you just out here and got lucky and found me?" Stiles asked and began stretching to cool down as he felt muscles start tensing up.

Derek scratched the back of his neck and Stiles noticed how incredibly tired the former Alpha looked. As though once again the weight of the world was on his shoulders, when he finally answered the older man looked a little bemused as he replied, "A little of both actually."

"You know you are the only person I know who most of the time looks as though he's carrying around more guilt than a prison full of cons." the teen said shaking his head seriously.

Derek's eyes flashed up to meet the other mans and he said with equal seriousness, "Don't you think I deserve to feel guilty?"

"No, not like this, Derek." Stiles responded with a touch of heat to his tone. "A psycho bigot with a serious case of pedophilia thrown in, used a fifteen year old to gain information so she could murder a houseful of people. Your sister got killed by your uncle who had a psychotic break after being in a coma for several years." The teen had started pacing, the only positive about the recent run was that he seemed a great deal calmer than normal.

"The only positive about that time was Peter killed the pedophile bigot. The Pack then killing the Creepy Uncle was another positive if only for the pack bonding purposes." he said, "After all of the good we've done I'd say your karmic scales should be leveled out if not in the positives by now. Seriously, we've talked about this."

The werewolf merely gazed at the teen for a few minutes with his face in its default position of serious thoughts mode. Stiles shook his head and continued.

The teen's guileless expression remained as he said, "Can you tell me about your family, I only know Cora and she's like a younger female you with some of your Uncle's manipulative nature."

Derek's brows shot together in a scowl as he looked at the younger man for a vindictive nature to the query but saw only blatant curiosity, "My mother Talia was the best Alpha I have ever met." he said succinctly.

"Yeah that doesn't help at all, Derek. For all I know you could be extremely biased," Stiles said with a roll of his eyes as he added, "Which parent do you look like? Did she read to you? Bake cookies with you? Was she the teacher for you guys in all things werewolf or was that your dad? Those are the things I want to know."

Derek looked at Stiles strangely but also wistfully as he said, "Both of my parents were our teachers. My mom taught us how to control the change and those sorts of things. Our father taught us the history and how better to blend in with the humans. Peter taught us about other species and such. My dad was actually a history teacher at Berkley. That's how he and my mother met. My mom was a law student who was having some trouble getting her history grade up to snuff. Her history professor recommended his TA as a tutor. His TA was my father and a human."

"My grandfather was kind of anti-human to hear my parents tell the story, my grandmother was a lot more tolerant. Apparently while mom and dad were going to school and dating secretly, my grandmother was browbeating my grandfather into submission about the whole human issue. My parents got engaged before they graduated from Berkley. My grandfather gave his permission for the marriage with the condition that they both had to wait for five years, to live and have a career, before they settle down and have a family."

"So they dated for five years kind of long distance cause Dad was at Berkley and Mom went to LA. Laura was the oldest and she was in school for business when the fire happened and I was studying architecture and drafting. Peter's wife was another werewolf from another clan, she was a surgical nurse, and Peter is a surgeon…" Derek said absently.

"Wait hold up," Stiles flailed his hand for a moment, "Peter Hale, your psycho-Creeper uncle is a doctor?"

The werewolf smirked slightly and said with slight amusement, "Yeah he was and still is, one of the best in the Western United States. Although after being in Eichen House that might change."

"Oh, I don't know about that I've heard of the…Medical Board? Yeah they let people go back to work in the medical field after being caught doing drugs. After they complete a drug rehab program. So depending on Peters spin he could tell them the stress of being in the fire that killed his family and then in a coma for several years and awakening to find things so very different for him. They'll probably totally let him go back to medical practice if he ever does get out of course." Stiles said absently.

"You're a lot more forgiving of Peter than I thought you might be Stiles," Derek said giving the younger man a strange look.

"Yeah well I have a confession. I've been visiting him occasionally with Malia. We went to visit him about once a week since he was put in Eichen. She was wanting information I guess on her mom and trying to figure out more about her dad, but she had bad memories of that place so she wanted some company." Stiles sighed as he ran his fingers nervously through his hair and said, "Truth is we both do…did I guess. But I couldn't let her go by herself." he said with a shrug.

Derek continued to talk to Stiles about the people, the family he had lost in the fire as they made their way back to the school at a much slower pace than Stiles had traveled to get to the Nemeton. He concluded "…and then there was Ms. Mildred. She was the oldest I think and the local librarian. Not really sure how she got into the Pack. I have a feeling that she was a life long friend with my grandmother actually. At some point Gran probably told her about werewolves and the other things that went bump in the night and she just got folded into the family."

When they got back to the parked Jeep, Stiles glanced at the watch and goggled, "Oh man is that the time? I was supposed to meet Lydia at my place. She was supposed to be bringing over some maps and research for me. That was twenty minutes ago." The teen starts to hustle to his Jeep and then turning to walk backwards tells the werewolf, "She's going to kill me. Call me tomorrow or I'll call you." he waved spastically before jumping into the Jeep and headed back home at the top legal speed.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Sure enough Lydia was standing outside of her car, leaning against a towel against the side of her car wearing a cover up and short denim sorts over a swimsuit. She was also wearing a sunhat and what Stiles was sure was considered the sexiest and sportiest of sunglasses.

"Sorry, sorry Lyds trying to find out as much information as I can before I try a very complicated spell. Not even sure I can do it but I'm willing to try. No I kind of have to try…"

Stiles probably would have continued with his babbling if Lydia hadn't held her palm up to the other teen and said, "Stiles, enough of the word vomit. I accept your apology. Just don't let it happen again. And here's the key, you're not going to make it disintegrate or something are you?"

"No Lydia I'm not. It's gonna be perfectly fine." Stiles said as he took the key on the chain from her reverently.

"Good cause it has a certain sentimental value you know." Lydia said a little huskiness slipping into her usually sweet tones. Stiles nodded as he closed his fist around the key. Lydia gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and started to turn away before she seemed to remember something.

"By the way, I'm having a make-up party for Jordan. You and Derek are invited, oh and your dad too. I'll text you a save-the-date later. Tell your dad he is still expected to stop by even if he has to work and no gifts necessary. Yes, there will be cake and stuff and yes your dad can have some despite your dietary restrictions. It's a celebration, he needs to live a little." With that she walked away to get into her little sports car and with a little toot on her horn at the other teen she drove away.

Stiles took the large shopping bag of maps and research material upstairs, dumping it out on his bed. He then searches for something in the top of his closet. Finally pulling out his treasure chest, an item his mother gave him ages ago. He carefully pulled the contents out of it. A jar of beach sand, pebbles, and a few shells, a set of mouse ears with his name on the back, his real name, a packet of post cards and photos, an envelope with a lock of his mothers hair, and a gold locket with a garnet shaped like a heart on the front with a picture of his parents and him when he was six.

Leaving the locket in place he added Malia's leather bracelet, the key from Jackson, and a scrap of t-shirt with Catwoman on it. The last time he had asked his dad about the investigation into locating Braeden. He said they hadn't yet been able to find Braeden's body, or any other victims and hoped there weren't anymore. Stiles wasn't so sure but kept his own council on the subject.

Locking the small chest Stiles slipped it under the desk and walked over to the bed. Rifling through the maps he gathered them up and put them back in the shopping bag for the time being and quickly picking up the three books that remained, began reading them. Mining seemed a fairly straightforward business and since he had no intention of using explosives, his method should be a lot safer, hopefully.

He drove back out to the woods and tracked back along to where the former coyotes den was located. First he carefully crawled into the cave and using a small spell was able to discern which was Aiden's blood and which was Ethan's. Using some small jars he collected as much of the dirty tainted blood as he could and put E on one and A on the other. He would use another spell to get out the contaminates, especially the wolvesbane later.

Following Mary's instructions on performing spells in a natural environment Stiles went around the area talking to the trees and plants. "I wish to ask for your cooperation, understanding, and assistance." Stiles began to explain, "I need to create a safe place for my pack so that we can continue to protect this our home. I need to enlarge the cave without endangering them or you. Can you help me to enlarge and reinforce the cave in a way that would be secure against collapse."

When Stiles was done he hadn't really expected much perhaps an image to appear in his head like it had when he was trying to communicate his wishes to the loft. Instead he heard cracking, creaking and groaning. There was a discernible movement in the trees around him, more specifically around the cave. Then a very old and twisted tree near him reached out a branch and gently caressed his arm before wrapping around the arm and up to his face.

Stiles saw in his head a warren of caves suddenly open up with roots spread into the cave to move rocks and other debris out of the way. The roots spread and widened until the dirt and rock roof was covered in the roots. The sides had thicker roots more regularly spaced but the roof was weaving itself even as he watched. Then an image of the Nemeton appeared, fully grown. Stiles got the message loud and clear, even as the trees images to him returned to what he saw as the Den.

Stiles watched as shrubs and vines moved to cover and conceal the entrance to the cave. Stiles could feel how difficult it was for the plants and trees to do this at this time of the year, things were dry. Closing his eyes he muttered a few words, and clouds moved in as the plants continued to move and groan. Then a gentle but steady rain began to fall, with thunder accompanying the rain, because of the sudden change in barometric pressure he caused with this relatively simple spell.

The tree that was holding his arm gently ran its branches through his hair and then he felt a bit of a sting as several twigs suddenly pushed into his skin. Then with a shock he felt energy run through him as he saw the stems piercing his skin pulse like veins. He started to pull away but the old tree held him fast and caressed his hair gently again.

When the trees were finally finished for the evening, they simply settled and Stiles swore he heard a sigh coming from around him as the old tree released his arm almost reluctantly. He felt rather than heard an aching loneliness as he was released, and said, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Probably with more things to do if you don't mind." He felt an amazing sense of contentment after he spoke and smiled as he made his way back to the Jeep.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles took the long way around as he made his way home. Making sure to check on Kira and Liam's families as he did so, and visited with Mama McCall. He checked on her, did a few things including "magically" patch a small leak in the roof. He visited Scott's room and found a scarf that belonged to Issac. He remembered it well, he had actually teased the other teen about it.

Then he saw something in the corner, tacked to Scott's bulletin board was Allison's silver necklace without thinking about it the Spark grabbed both items and stuffed them in his pockets. After taking the garbage out for Ms. McCall, the young man gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her to get some rest before continuing on his way home.

As he got out of his Jeep he received a text from his father,

_To Stiles,_

_Deputy Samuels called in, her son had an asthma attack. A bad one is in the hospital now. Came home to grab a bite earlier. Took her shift so won't be home till in the morning. Don't worry, Parrish is working this shift too. In case of the supe. Get some rest son._

_Love, Dad._

Stiles read the text and shot back one of his own.

_To Daddio,_

_From Stiles,_

_Tell Peg hope her son feels better. Will bring you some breakfast in the morning. Think Parrish will want some too?_

_The awesome son,_

_Stiles_

The teen unlocked the door and quickly walked into the house before turning and shutting and locking the door behind him. He piled his things on the dining room table, and then went upstairs to get the maps Lydia had given him, the crystal he had used for scrying and his phone charger.

Plugging his phone in quickly, Stiles went into the fridge and made himself a quick dinner of crab salad and angel hair pasta. He put the crab salad together and while waiting for the pasta to boil began planning what he would do next. Then he ran upstairs for the treasure box and brought it back downstairs carefully. After he had eaten Stiles looked at his phone as he finished off the glass of water he was drinking to find his father had answered his text.

_To Stiles,_

_From Dad,_

_Jordan says he's fine which means he'll grab something from the machine. The boy needs a keeper. Yes, please make enough for all three of us _

_Love, to the awesome son,_

_Dad_

Stiles snorted before putting the phone back down on the table after cleaning up the kitchen Stiles looked down and began to plan. First he scryed for Jackson, in the U.S and then using more detailed maps. Managed to get it down to a town in Wisconsin just off of Lake Superior. Trying to find an even smaller map he finally used a magnifying glass to find the town was called Starling. Stiles was stoked until he tried using information to find a Jackson Whittlemore. Only to find there was no such person listed.

Stiles growled in frustration and was about to throw his phone when he remembered his mothers favorite show again and a certain episode where one of the witches used a computer for scrying purposes, "Why not a phone?"

Letting instincts take over Stiles held the key and crystal together in one hand. Then taking the phone off the charger and holding it in the other one, Stiles said, "I want to call him, I need to call him." Stiles heard the tones as numbers were appearing on the face of his phone. He pressed the green phone symbol and put the phone to his ear.

"Harper," a voice said harshly. Stiles heard the sounds of a loud and busy club playing in the background.

"I said this is Harper. Hello is anyone there?" and the annoyed tones were all too familiar.

"It's Stiles." the teen said firmly. Knowing what was coming next he said, "Don't lie Jackson. Your voice has haunted my nightmares since the seventh grade, when you decided we weren't good enough to be your friends anymore. You need to come home. Danny is dead. He was murdered by one of the things that goes bump."

He paused waiting for the other teen to say something, either confirm or deny. When nothing was said Stiles continued grateful he was at least still on the line if the racket in the background was any indication. " His family…we don't know

where they are, I'm making arrangements for his funeral. I think he would want someone here who was closer than.. than me." he said and he choked on a sob as his throat threatened to close.

There was still silence and Stiles said a little anger creeping into his voice, "Look I don't know what's going on with you? Why you're hiding from your folks or anything and frankly I don't need to know right now. I want you to come home Jax. For Danny, for the people who cared about you even when you were being a douche."

He could hear what sounded like gasping noises on the other side of the phone and said in a gentler tone, "Do you hear me Jax?"

A half-sobbed, "Yes," came through the line and Stiles barely suppressed a sigh of relief.

"Will you come home?" the Spark asked the other teen.

"I can't, I don't.." the boys voice became garbled.

"Give me fifteen minutes and I'll call you back," Stiles said, "In the meantime, are you partying or at your job?" There was no judgment in his tone, merely firm support.

"One of my jobs," the older teen said. "Stiles I can't afford a ticket."

"Tell them you need a leave of absence for a death in the family, its not a lie is it? Give me a few like I said and I'll have a ticket waiting for you. Do you have money for a cab ride home?"

"Stiles I don't need a cab, I'm…" began the man once known as Jackson Whittlemore.

"Bullshit!" Stiles said harshly, "I just told you something killed your best friend of eight years and that you need to come home for his funeral. You will not be walking or driving yourself home. Now do you have money for a cab?" he asked again while heading upstairs to reach into the drawer of the night stand and pull out a wad of cash, part of his hiring bonus.

A sigh from the other side of the phone line before a reluctant, "No."

An equally frustrated, "Get somewhere safe and alone." He said as he made his way down the stairs rummaging through the drawers in the kitchen and finding a rubber band wrapped it around half the bills.

"Stiles.."

"_Now_ Jax," was the sharp retort.

"When did you become such a bad ass bossy butt, Stilinski?" the beta asked as he could be heard moving into a quieter section of the club. There was the clang of a metal door and then all that could be heard was the booming bass of the loud music.

"Are you alone, somewhere safe?" Stiles asked ignoring the other teens previous question.

"Yes, I'm alone and safe or as safe as you can be in this neighborhood," the other teen said.

Stiles tried not to think about what that could mean, or what Jackson had probably been through. "Hold out your hand Jackson. Do you have any outstanding bills? Do you have a way to get to the airport tomorrow?"

The teen answered more honestly than he probably would have in the past, which told Stiles what a truly dark situation Jackson was probably in right now.

"You need your Pack Jackson, now be quiet for a minute." Stiles heard Jackson huff a frustrated laugh but ignored it as he closed his eyes and blew on the stack of money in his hand.

He heard the squawk from Jackson, "What the…?" as he also heard the phone hit the pavement.

He winced slightly, but yelled nonetheless, "Jax?! You still there? Did you get it?"

A slightly breathless voice replied, "Stiles did you just…how did you do that?"

"Breathe Jackson and listen to me closely. Do you have anyone there you can't live without or who can't live without you for a while?" Stiles asked in a serious and mature voice that was frankly freaking the other teen out.

Jackson didn't answer for a minute and when he did it was with a reluctant sigh as he answered, "No, not right now."

"Get a cab, go home, pack what you can't live without, what's important to you. If you have one or two suits pack those. Summer weight. I'll call you in a bit with the flight information. Go on Jackson talk to your boss." Stiles said as he started to hang up to make phone calls.

"Stiles wait," Jackson called before the other could hang up and asked hesitantly, "The thing that killed Danny..is it, did it.."

"No Jax…Its nothing but ash. It can't hurt anybody else." he replied. When there was no response Stiles continued, "Come home Jax." and the other teen was left with a dial tone. Before he headed back into the nightclub to explain things to his boss, he had to wonder inanely how the plaid shirted Stiles knew what a summer weight suit was.

**~X~**

**A/N/N~ The next chapter is huge and may require more time because I've already been working on it for three weeks and am still not done. So probably expect a late post, and please, please, please review. ~A**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N~ Stiles is beginning to feel his inner Pack Mom even if neither of the pair are to the stage of claiming the other. Doesn't mean he's not feeling protective of some of his intended Pack members. Even though that is what Stiles is doing, expanding the Pack, just don't know if he's actually realized it yet. Hope everyone is enjoying the story. Please continue to read and review, I live for reviews. No seriously, my lips turn blue and everything. Really not my best color. Probably cause I hold my breath waiting for the next reviews. Smurfette? So not my thing. ~A**

**Chapter 16**

Stiles was ready to throw his phone against a wall as he tried to remember why he had set his alarm for so early an hour on a Saturday. Then the image of his father and Jarrod Parrish came to mind with the almost cartoonish image of the two men crawling along at his heels with their tongues hanging out

Rubbing his eyes and then his face, the teen remembered why he was so tired. He had successfully managed to locate both Jackson and Issac last night. Jackson should be on his way soon and arrive later this afternoon, Stiles had arranged for a rental to bring the other teen back to Beacon Hills.

Issac would take a little more work. Apparently, Chris Argent had arranged to leave the young beta with a group of hunters he trusted. Hunters who were taking advantage of the betas tracking skills to track down other monsters. The only problem with that was that they were reluctant to let there secret weapon go.

Stiles had gotten testy and Issac had gotten defensive and then Stiles had heard it. That undercurrent of fear he had heard in Issac's voice when he was caught in a memory of his time with his father. Stiles had felt guilty until he realized that he wasn't the source of the fear.

**XOXOX Begin Flashback XOXOX**

"Are you alone Issac?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"No," Issac said.

"Where are you? Are you still in France?" asked Stiles.

"Yeah in a town called Pau. It's actually in the south of France near the Pyrennes with farmland and mountains all around."

"Need some landmarks Pup. I know you can't give me street names but is there something else?" Stiles asked.

"Oh yeah you know how you and Scott had that argument about there would be a Starbucks everywhere some day? We have one on the corner here, which is really kind of sad. Cause there is this incredible…" he paused for a moment and said carefully trying to get the accent right, "apothecare', right next door. They make the best shakes. They use this chocolate from Belgium, I swear Stiles other than your curly fries you'd think you died and went to heaven."

"Do you have a passport?" asked Stiles sharply.

"No." Issac said softly.

"Are they keeping it from you?"

"Yes," the boy was back to one word answers which meant he was getting scared again.

"Keep the phone on and charged, I'll call you back tomorrow." Stiles said and then added, "I'm getting you home Issac."

**XOXOX End Flashback XOXOX**

Stiles quickly got out of bed and looked through the cupboards. Scrambled eggs wouldn't last till he got to the station, but an omelet wit veggies and cheese would, they were out of bacon, but they had some sliced ham, and grits. He gathered what he needed for taking breakfast to the station. Including covered dishes, silverware and two thermoses for juice and coffee.

Running back upstairs Stiles jumped in the shower and got dressed in record time. He grabbed his phone and shot off texts to Mary about the new place and to advise her that the realtor would show them the place on Monday. Then after advising her that he was going to see Peter today, he told her he needed to ask her advise about a spell he _needed _ to do.

While he waited on her answer he began making breakfast, biscuits went into the oven quickly, water went on for the grits, ham wet on low heat just to heat through as it was already cooked. His phone made the tone that he had a text and he checked it before chopping the vegetables.

After reading her answer that she was intrigued and a little afraid, Stiles just shook his head and sent an emoticon ;P, back to the older woman. He went back to chopping the vegetables and cheese for the omelet. Whipping the eggs with a small amount of sour cream he dipped the ham out and poured the omelets in the hot pan before adding the grits to the boiling water.

Stiles finished the breakfast and put it in a tote with everything else he had collected. He also put an ice pack in a smaller cooler tote. Running back upstairs to collect his wallet and keys. The Sparks eyes settled on the key, Jackson's house key and he picked it up and stuffed it in his pocket on instinct. The teen dry-swallowed his Adderall on the way back downstairs.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles arrived at the station only to discover that his father and Parrish were out on a call. Nothing too serious a small car accident just on the outskirts of town. Luckily the tote should keep the food warm for a while longer, Stiles went into his dad's office and closed the door. Looking out the blinds of his dad's office, he moved to sit in the chair and then leaning forward pulled the Rolodex toward him.

Flipping through it quickly he found the number he was looking for and put it into his contact list before flipping the Rolodex back the way he had found it. Looking outside again and checking for his fathers cruiser, Stiles dialed the number quickly, knowing it was a risk to call but needing to get Issac away from the hunters.

The other end of the line was picked up and a voice he only remembered distantly said, "Special Agent Duarte."

"Hi Uncle Kyle, its Stiles. I need a favor, a big one..."

By the time Sheriff Stilinski and Deputy Parrish arrived back from the accident sight, Stiles had set up their breakfast in the break room and was guarding it with rabid intensity from the oncoming dayshift staff, with nothing more than a flyswatter. He personally thought he deserved a medal for heroism. His father was willing to give him one after tasting the ham and non-egg white omelet.

Of course if his father ever found out that Stiles had coerced his maternal uncle into performing what could potentially turn into an international incident to rescue Issac, the medal would probably end up around his neck alright. As his father tried to choke the life out of him.

Issac however would end up in LA just before Jackson landed and Stiles still wasn't sure how Uncle Kyle was going to manage that and he made absolutely sure not to ask. Apparently there was only the one Starbucks in Pau and Issac had to be there in an hour. Stiles kept glancing at the clock and finally excused himself and stepped outside to make a couple of calls.

Issac answered on the first ring, "Stiles?"

"Issac you feel the sudden need to go to Starbucks. Take only what you can't live without. You have an hour, be early, drink slow. Your meeting a black woman named Lou. Do what she says, don't ask questions, don't talk at all. You'll be in LAX this afternoon. Meet Jackson at Gate 23. Do you have money for food, for the coffee?"

Issac reassured him he did, before he hung up. So now he just had to sit and wait nervously to make sure the two others got home safely. Now for a couple more small plans. He hoped he wouldn't end up back here and in a holding cell after tonight.

Stiles then called Jackson and got his voicemail before advising him that he and Issac were meeting at the airport and that he was to bring Issac home as well.

Stiles hung up and got back inside to find the food eaten and his father and Parrish working on the paperwork at the break room table together.

The teen gathered up everything from their breakfast before giving his dad a manly hug. Stiles then told his father not to wait up that he was going to visit Peter, and that he had a few other things he was going to take care of before he got home tonight.

At the mention of Peter Hale, John Stilinski visibly flinched but nodded his head. "Call me if you have any trouble at Eichen House," he told his son with a slight edge to his voice.

"I will dad," Stiles said as he left the break room with the tote of dirty dishes.

Stiles went out to his jeep and put the tote in the back. He brought the smaller tote up front and went by the local dollar store and picked up a handful of peanut butter cups for Peter he had already gone online to pick up a couple of books for the older werewolf.

He wasn't sure if anyone had thought to inform Peter about Malia's death. As he continued toward Eichen House he realized he might be giving the former Alpha notification of the death and hoped the older man would be able to handle it without another psychotic break.

Taking the precautions of pulling up a spell to make his skin and bones unbreakable seemed a suitable precaution. As Stiles pulled the Jeep to park outside the gates of Eichen House, Stiles took the smaller cooler and the books and put them in his backpack. Stiles went to the gate and using the intercom system announced himself. "Stilinski to visit Peter Hale."

There was a pause from the other end of the line before the voice of one of the more unpleasant orderlies said, "I'm sorry you're not on the list of approved visitors for Mr. Hale."

Stiles gritted his teeth as he replied, "Then I suggest you look again." While thinking to himself, 'Every single time with the harassment.'

Then a thought occurred to him and taking out his phone Stiles speed dialed Derek and waited for the call to connect. After two rings Derek picked up the other end and asked, "Something up Stiles?"

"Yeah, I'm standing outside of Eichen House and they're trying to tell me I'm no longer on the approved list for visiting Peter. Did you take me off?" asked without heat or any real accusation in his tone as he was pretty sure he knew who the real culprits were.

"No I did not, I'm in town now, I'll be right there." Derek said before hanging up.

Stiles clicked his phone off and waited patiently. He let his thoughts drift to his plan unfortunately or fortunately depending on who you asked Stiles ADHD kept his mind going not always in the same direction but when he took his Adderall

He could be very single minded especially when he got an idea in his head, like this one.

Sighing he thought, Malia-check and check, Braeden-no, unfortunately and not likely also unfortunately. Allison check Aiden-check, Danny-check and check, and Erica and Boyd-no and he needed to fix that. Cora he could discuss with Derek after this visit. Issac and Jackson would be here later tonight. Chris hopefully after tonight he'd be able to find the hunter and after he purified their blood tonight he'd be able to contact Ethan. The sight of Derek puling up pulled Stiles out of his thoughts.

Derek stepped out of his car and after a moment started to take off his leather jacket. Stiles called out to the older man, "Better leave it on. They keep it cold in there. Or that may just be me getting the willies, who knows?"

Derek leaned against his SUV and indicated for Stiles to come toward him away from the gate. Stiles went willingly enough and the other man asked him rather softly, "Do they always give you a hard time like this?"

"More often than not, yeah." Stiles confirmed. "After Lydia and I had the problem with the orderly trying to kill us, Lydia's mom and dad threatened to sue the place. Yeah they've been giving me a hard time every time I come to visit." Stiles said with a shudder which wasn't for show, "Probably because they figure I don't have the juice to close them down. Dad probably would except then where would all the crazies especially the supernatural ones go?"

"It doesn't matter. They don't have the right to keep you from visiting Peter. He's still my uncle and I'm the only one who gets to say who can and can't visit him. Malia isn't…wasn't old enough to make those decisions. I've been declared his power of attorney." Derek said through gritted teeth.

Then he looked down at Stiles bag and asked, "What's in there?"

"Books and Reese's," Stiles responded quickly, opening the bag to show the werewolf. "They give me a hard time about these too. Matter of fact the only thing they don't give me a hard time about are the socks and underwear. I put his name on everything before I bring it though so that may be why."

Stiles recognized the flash of guilt cross Derek's face and started to say something when Derek cut him off and said, "Let's go get this straightened out, once and for all."

The two young men headed back to the Eichen House gate and Derek pressed the intercom button, When the snide voice on the other end asked, "How can I help you?"

"Derek Hale to visit Peter Hale," Derek said coldly with a slight growl to the timbre of his voice. "Plus one."

There was another definite hesitation on the other end of the line before the voice came back on, "Yes sir."

The gate buzzed and then swung open with a whine of metal on metal. Derek took Stiles arm and hustled the human up the path and Stiles heard the werewolf muttering under his breath. He couldn't quite make out what he was saying but he had the feeling the next few minutes might just be highly entertaining.

Although Derek kept his hand on the other man's arm, Stiles still managed to hang back a step so he could get the full effect of Derek in all his glory. As soon as he stepped into the reception area, Derek walked to the desk and said, "I need to see my uncle's chart and the manager _now." _ The word now rumbled out of his chest like a peal of thunder, before the storm broke.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hale our manager isn't here today." said the orderly with a saccharine smile, as he handed over the chart.

Flipping through the chart Derek said coldly and without looking up, "Did I ask where the manager was?"

The orderly looked at the man before him a little nervously and said, "Uhm, yes sir?"

Derek continued to flip through the chart and said, "No, I didn't ask anything, actually. I said I want to see the manager, _**now.**_" When he finally did look up at the other man his eyes held a hint of electric blue.

"Stiles," Derek called the younger man to him and showed him where the Sparks name had been written in Malia's almost childish scrawl on the list of people permitted to see Peter. The growl that escaped his throat was very obvious and without thinking Stiles reached out to run his hand soothingly down the other mans arm.

He wasn't looking at the desk anymore but towards the hall and saw several orderlies passing vials between them with what he was sure were either mistletoe or mountain ash. With a whispered warning of, "Hold on," Stiles eyes flashed black and gold embers as suddenly several of the orderlies shrieked in shock. The vials they were holding or had in their pockets suddenly exploded and the contents went up like flash paper. With a growl that no one but Derek heard he whispered, "Nobody messes with what's mine."

Derek's eyes had been drawn to the commotion of the exploding pockets but when the younger man whispered the last statement Derek's eyes flew to his. The werewolves eyebrows nearly raised to his hairline as he looked at Stiles with an obvious questioning gaze.

Stiles merely smirked at the older one and said, "Give me a minute," then closed his eyes. Suddenly there were loud popping noises coming from all over the facility, with shrieks and shouts from several of the personnel noted.

"What did you do?" Derek asked as he looked around curiously.

"Took out their supplies of wolves bane, mountain ash, and mistletoe. If you're going to be the bad assed beta then I'm gonna make sure they don't try to corral you. I don't trust these people as far as you can throw them." Stiles hissed softly.

Derek laughed softly and said in an undertone, "Oh I don't know, from what little I remember about the lamia, you did more throwing than I did."

"That wasn't me, that was the Spark," Stiles muttered confusingly.

"Stiles, you do realize you are the Spark, right?" Derek asked looking at the younger man incredulously.

"Yeah, I'd better be or this'll never work." Stiles replied absently.

"What did you say?" Derek asked a little suspiciously.

"What, what?" Stiles asked. Then looked up at the desk as the woman who ran Eichen House walked into the reception area looking angry and harried at the same time.

Derek smiled a decidedly wolf like grin before stepping back up to the desk, dragging Stiles along with him by the arm. "Derek, this is Ms. Lewis she runs Eichen House." Stiles introduced through clenched teeth.

"Good perhaps she can explain the constant harassment you've been receiving every time you come to visit Peter. And please be a little smarter than the orderly who told Stiles he wasn't on the approved visitors list because he is obviously." Derek said as he very carefully placed the chart in front of the other woman and indicated Stiles name with his finger.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Mr.?" said Ms. Lewis without even bothering to look at the chart.

"Mr. Hale as I'm sure you're orderly has told you." Derek said, "If you're having difficulty understanding perhaps we should go to your office for this talk. Meanwhile I think that Mr. Stilinski can at least start the visit with my uncle, without anymore trouble. Don't you?" Derek added in an achingly polite tone.

The severe looking woman looked a little nervous when Derek suggested continuing their conversation in private but couldn't deny him the right to privately air his grievances. Especially since she knew the grievances were justified, and she didn't want another lawsuit floating around. She nodded and told one of the orderlies to escort Mr. Stilinski to visit Mr. Hale, while she concluded the business with this Mr. Hale.

Stiles was escorted into the visitation room, which basically consisted of a gray room with wire reinforced glass windows on either side, a metal table and two chairs. Peter walked in, wearing the normal blue scrubs and padded handcuffs. Stiles frowned at the orderly who shoved Peter in the chair and started to lean forward to deliver the standard threat to the older man.

"Thank you, I don't think we'll need your services anymore." he said in a haughty tone.

Waiting until the orderly left the room, Peter said, "They gave you a hard time again didn't they?"

Stiles shrugged not wanting to upset the other man anymore than he was about to he merely replied, "Derek is taking care of it."

Then he pulled the candy and two books out of his backpack. "I only found one of the books you were asking about. Apparently the other one hasn't reached our local bookstore, but I did find something else by the same author."

Peter's face relaxed into a more pleasant expression as he studied the books and smiled in an affectionate way and said, "Thank you Stiles these will do quite nicely, I haven't read either of these. They should be interesting. Will Derek be visiting as well?"

Stiles brow wrinkled as he replied, "I don't know, he didn't say one way or the other. Plus he's still dealing with the manager and I don't know how long that will take."

"Ah yes, the lovely Ms. Lewis and how did she look this morning?" Peter asked with a sarcastic little sneer.

"When Derek said he wanted to speak to her in private," Stiles gave another shrug as he said with matching sarcasm, "just a teensy bit nervous. I don't think Derek was exactly keeping his inner self well in check if you understand my meaning."

"Should I be concerned I might be getting a roommate?" the older wolf said and there was genuine concern on his face.

Stiles gave a little snort looking at the table before saying quietly, "Not unless they know a pharmacy that delivers wolves bane or mountain ash on Saturdays."

Peter looked at the Spark and said in a more relaxed tone, "You do continue to surprise and impress Stiles." Stiles blushed at the unexpected and genuine praise from the older werewolf, "I really should have bitten you instead of Scott." and there was the Creeper Wolf back again.

Stiles sighed and said, "Peter there is something that I need to tell you and it's not good." He looked around at the video cameras and knew that there were probably listening devices as well in the visiting room. Drawing a small amount of power, he looked up at the older wolf he said conversationally, "How sensitive are your eyes and ears nowadays?"

Peter met the young humans and visibly started at the sight of Stiles normally whiskey colored eyes turned black with little flashes of fire in them. Remembering the question he admitted, "Not as sensitive as they once were."

The Spark replied with an evil smirk, "Then you'll probably like this." He lifted his hand and smacked it back down on the surface of the metal table sharply. Sparks suddenly shot from the camera and around the room as all of the electronic devices in the room shorted out spectacularly, accompanied by the high pitched squeal of and audio system shorting out spectacularly.

Peter after a moment clapped his hands and said, "I know it will sound a little ridiculous to say this, but I really do like your style, Stiles. I seriously mean that."

Stiles gave another nonchalant shrug before saying seriously, "Peter I have some bad news and I don't know a good way to say this. Malia was attacked by a lamia. We don't have all the details, but my dad has confirmed with the coroner that the remains that were found are hers."

The older man sat staring at Stiles for several minutes before he finally spoke, "Stiles…are you absolutely…is there any doubt?"

"Derek and I both recognized the clothing and apparently she had gone to the dentist almost as soon as she went back to her adoptive father. So there were dental records…that was the only way they could confirm it was her. I'm sorry Peter, we're positive it is her. The lamia though well you know what it does so we can't absolutely tell. Even Derek because of the scent the lamia leaves can't really tell by scent if it is her…"

"it's…what I deserve," Peter said quietly to himself.

"What, no. Peter this isn't on you. This is the lamia, for some reason it started going after supernatural creatures. Malia was the first as far as we know but it got a taste for them and went after Derek…and we stopped it." Stiles said, a little horrified to see the werewolf fall into what could only be called a dejected state.

"We, you and your new mentor, you killed it?" he asked with a slightly hopeful tone.

"Yes, Stiles did Uncle Peter," Derek said as an orderly let him into the visitors room. "Stiles killed the lamia, and saved my life."

"Malia?" Peter asked and his nephew went to kneel beside his chair as he replied.

"She had gone with Braeden they were supposed to be headed out of town. They were going to try and find the Desert Wolf." Derek said gently, "Apparently the lamia found them and…"

"Please don't…" Peter said brokenly. Stiles stood from the chair and made his way around the table as the older werewolf seemed to fold into himself and fall against his nephews shoulder. Stiles lowered his hand onto the werewolves shoulder as he had once done for Derek after Boyd's death.

"It is what I deserve." Peter repeated, "I was so busy trying to manipulate the situation, become the Alpha again that I didn't even try to get to know my own daughter. I didn't try to become the father she deserved. I tried using her and manipulating her, just like everyone and everything else. I should have been there.. to protect her." The older man said roughly as tears gleamed in his eyes.

"Peter, " Stiles said softly, "I told you, this isn't on you. I should have figured it out sooner, I should have…"

"No Stiles," said Peter a little angrily, "I do deserve this for what I did to Laura, for what happened after, for what has happened since."

Stiles shook his head and said, "We're having a memorial next weekend the night of the full moon. I'm going to talk to my dad and with Derek's help. I want you to be able to come. You deserve to come to the memorial of your own daughter and screw these people if they don't agree."

Peter looked up at the human gratefully, if doubtfully. While being soothed by the two younger men. Derek looked more sad and Stiles added to the plan he had already been working on, dangerously and perhaps unrealistically. As he stared between the two Hales, he thought unrealistic or not it was again necessary.

When visiting hours ended and Stiles and Derek were walking out of the asylum, Stiles was very tempted again to tell the other man about his plans. However, he would be curious and resistant when he found out the element of danger involved. He decided to wait again, at least until he had everything set up. Then he figured Derek would be more likely to accept the idea when it was more a fait accompli situation. Stiles was mollified with that reasoning.

**XXXXXXXXX**

_From Jackson,_

_To Stiles_

_Nice welcoming committee. The puppy, really? So where are we staying, please don't say the motto-lodge or something. Last time even I was disturbed because when the carpet starts to move, so do I. For the door, as fast as possible. Should be in town by about four or five. May stop for a bite. The pups growling, oops that's his stomach._

_To Jaxima_

_From the great and powerful Stiles_

_Yeah well in his defense they don't serve well on military black ops aircraft._

_Trust me I think you should be very comfortable in the lodgings I've arranged for you. Do you need more money? You're not texting and driving are you? I'll kick your ass if you are._

_From Jackson, _

_To the dork formerly known as Stiles,_

_Don't you mean you'll have McCall kick my ass? No I am not texting and driving. I may like to live dangerously but I'm not completely suicidal. The puppy is driving, not as good as you but not bad. No don't need more money I think we have enough for even our appetites._

_To Jax._

_From the exceedingly kind and tolerant Stiles,_

_No Scott and no one else is involved in this for the time being just us. If you need more money for gas or whatever let me know. Have to talk to you about other plans, both of you._

_PS~ Don't pick on the pup, he's been with hunters who may have abused him. Be nice Jax, please._

_From Jackson_

_To Stiles_

_WTF. What genius let him go off with hunters in the first place. Forgot about gas and they only left a quarter tank in this car. Been walking, riding a bike or taking taxis too much lately, forgot the need for gas. Don't rub it in, it's a duh moment._

_To Jaxima,_

_From Stiles_

_Tell the pup to pull over. The genius was Chris Argent, Allison's dad. Don't know why but hopefully after a little B &amp; E, will find out. So just a blond moment? LOL. Tell me when you're pulled over._

_From Jackson_

_To Stiles_

_Pulled over now. Not blond anymore, you dork. B &amp; E better not stand for what I think it stands for. Also what do you mean no Scott or anyone else. Since when do you have money like this or do magic like this?_

_PS~ What the hell is going on Stiles?_

_To Jax_

_From Stiles_

_Good, hand out please. What do you mean you're not blond anymore?_

Stiles took out a hundred dollar bill and Jackson's key out of his pocket. Closing his eyes, he blew on the bill and waited for it to fly out of his hand and disappear. Then he picked the phone back up and sent another text quickly.

_To Jax _

_From Stiles_

_All will be explained when you arrive. These are not the droids you're looking for. Call me when you guys get closer to home. Where do you want to meet?_

_From Jackson_

_To Stiles_

_You are such a giant dork. Thanks for the cash and yeah the pup is now officially freaked. Kinda funny. Seriously, the whole question fest and you focus on the fact I'm no longer blond? Not going to fly Stilinski there will be answers when we get home. The pups right, feels strange calling Beacon Hills home again. Will call._

**XXXXXXXXX**

Sties picked up his books and went downstairs his dad was sleeping because he had to go into work this evening and he was trying not to disturb the older man as he did his research and studying. The younger Stilinski buckled down to do the research he needed to. Spells involving time travel, defensive spells, offensive spells. Spells for picking locks, disabling alarms, and other things. By three pm, his head was hurting from being too full and his eyes were getting heavy.

Closing and stacking the books Stiles promised himself, he'd get back to studying soon, laying out the chicken for dinner. He trudged upstairs checking his text messages, as he went.

_From Jax_

_To Stiles_

_Do you give everybody nicknames? Will meet you at the café near school. The Goal Line? We have already eaten but knowing our metabolism. We'll be hungry again._

_To Jax_

_From Stiles_

_Only the people I care about. That's fine remember to call me before you get to town, or text me. The only one I haven't yet is Mary, don't worry you'll like her and the only reason I haven't nicknamed her is she might just turn me into a toad. I like green but not that much._

Quickly the teen set his alarm and pretty much fell across his bed to fall asleep in a matter of minutes. Almost instantlyhe felt himself drawn into a dream.

**~X~**

**He stood on an outcropping of rock overlooking the lights of the town. Even from this distance he could hear the screams and see the fires. He felt the anger as he stood there. The gray wolf came to stand beside him and the black came to stand on his other side then he felt the others come to stand with him. He looked to his right at the black wolf, eyes glowing blue and the wolf howled his challenge to the wind.**

**Running, pounding paws, feeling the heat from the dirt before it changed to pavement. The glow of streetlights cancelling out the moon glow of the full moon. A row of dark shadowy shapes charging toward them, eyes glowing a sickly yellow. The stench of death and rotting flesh pouring off of the enemy.**

"**Just give us the Reaper and we will leave," the voice of the rival whispered in his brain as its eyes bled red. The growl of the black wolf and the snort of the gray told the others lie clearly. It wouldn't have mattered, the Reaper was Pack. There would be no deal.**

**Then other wolves joined their ranks, other Pack members were there. Some were not wolves or even pseudo wolves, but like him they were still Pack.**

**The others, the enemy all looked like werewolves in their Alpha form. All had the sickly too bright, yellow eyes. They were all black though, no deviation in color except for the fact that they also all looked emaciated and the fact made even his wolves stomach want to rebel…then they grew even closer and the streetlights began to reveal the truth about them.**

**Bare muscle and bone shone through where flesh had rotted away. In some places the flesh itself was still attached but dangling in strips. In others it looked as though the flesh was still mostly intact but there was no meat underneath just bone pressed against the outer skin. **

**They were basically walking corpses, the part of him that was still the teenage boy laughed. That he had dared to call Peter a Zombie Wolf. He mentally apologized to the other for the insult. These things were more disturbing than even Peter could ever be. A sudden noise had him looking away from the eyes of the Alpha…**

Stiles sat up in bed with a gasp and nearly screamed as he realized his alarm was going off. He was really beginning to hate these dreams and wondered why they were just coming now.

Stiles checked his phone, no text from Jackson yet but there were two from Mary wanting to know what he was up to. He didn't want to aggravate his teacher but if he tried to call her back now, she would probably figure out what was going on. She was uncanny that way, Stiles wasn't sure if it was because of magic or Mary was just talented that way.

Stiles got dressed and headed downstairs and prepared lasagna, sticking it in the oven as he went back to his research. He set the timer on his phone and set it on vibrate so it wouldn't wake his still sleeping dad. Finally satisfied that he may know everything that he might need for tonight.

He gathered up the books and materials cleaning off the dining room table and taking them back upstairs. Gathering what he needed he took it out to the Jeep. Checking his phone as he stepped back into the house, he noticed that Jackson still hadn't texted him but Mary had again. Sighing he texted her.

_To Mary _

_From Stiles_

_Sorry was napping. Waiting for Jackson and Issac to text me back to let me know when they get near town so I can go meet them. About to wake up dad so he can eat before he works the late shift. Did you need something?_

Stiles hoped she waited till after dinner to text him back. He headed up the stairs to his dad's room. He could usually tell what kind of evening his dad would have by the way his room looked. Not too bad by the looks of things. A few items of clothing on the floor, not too messy.

"Dad? Hey dad? Time to wake up," there was a cough and a grunt from the bed before John Stilinski queried a little tiredly, "Stiles?"

"Yeah, dad, it's a little after five," Stiles said double checking his phone as he continued, "I've got lasagna made and by the time you take a shower and get your uniform on, I'll have bread and a salad made as well. Want me to make some coffee too?"

"Yeah sounds good," John said as he pulled himself up in the bed, "I'll be down in fifteen."

Stiles nodded and backed out of the room and headed back down the stairs to put the coffee on and assembled the rest of the meal. Just as he flipped the switch on the coffee maker. Stiles heard his phone make the tone indicating he had received a text message. As he pulled his cell out he discovered he had received two texts almost simultaneously, one each from Jackson and Mary.

_From Mary_

_To Stiles'_

_Let me know when they get here safe. Also what was it you wanted to talk about?_

_From Jax _

_To Stiles_

_Will be a little late. An eighteen wheeler wrecked. No injuries but it made a mess and blocked the road. Delayed a couple of hours maybe. Will call when we reach the county line._

_To Jackson_

_From Stiles_

_If you can, get out of your cars and play. No techno geeks allowed. Don't tell me you have nothing to play with either. You're both former lacrosse players. You probably still have your jerseys packed away somewhere. You especially Jax probably have something tucked in your bag, even if its just a baseball or football. _

_From Jax_

_To Stiles_

_Stiles are you trying to tell me something like. Once a jock, always a jock? Cause if you are I'm just gonna say, I resemble that remark. But why are you insisting we "play?"_

_To Jax _

_From Stiles_

_We're a week from the full moon. You've both been cooped up on planes for hours, you haven't seen each other in years. Sitting in a car, in the heat, in the middle of a traffic jam for at least two hours, isn't gonna work out too well. Play, work off the tension, get it out of your system, before you get home and take it out on me._

_From Jax and the PUP_

_To Stiles_

_Yes MOM!_

_To the cubs _

_From Mom_

_And don't you forget it._

_To Mary_

_From Stiles_

_The cubs will be late getting home or later than expected. Apparently there was an accident on the freeway, nothing bad, just messy. Let me get dad off to work and I'll come over and we'll have our talk say about an hour or so?_

Stiles father came down the stairs buttoning his uniform shirt before tucking it into his pants. Stiles put the plates of food on the table and sat down before his father joined him.

After the first few bites of food and the first cup of coffee. Stiles figured it was safe for them to have a bit of a talk. "So Jackson and Issac are on their way home. Oh an by the way, just so you know, there was an accident on the freeway a few miles on the other side of the county line apparently. No injuries but it was a couple of eighteen wheelers and they left a mess which is being cleaned up I guess. Still it's going to take an hour or more still to get cleaned up. So traffic is still going to be snarled up for a while this evening." Stiles babbled in his usual way.

The Sheriff long used to interpreting 'Stiles speak' deciphered what he had just said, and used his cell phone on speaker to speak to his deputies. Three were deployed to the freeway to help work the traffic jam and supervise the clean up. When he had hung up the phone two of his deputies had headed to the local store to collect bottles of water and bags of ice to put in huge coolers they had.

Dehydration was a distinct possibility in this heat, especially for the next hour or more. Road rage wasn't unheard of in these instances of traffic jams and with the Nemeton's influence it wouldn't surprise him in the least.

When his father was finally finished with his food and his phone calls, he went to the hall closet where the gun safe was and took out his holster and wrapped it around his newly trimmed waist.

While he had been doing physical therapy to recover from the gunshot wound he had received from his former deputy, he had gotten on a bit of a health kick. Stiles had been only slightly miffed that his father was just now starting to fall in line with what Stiles had been brow-beating the older man to do for years. Then he had met the physical therapist his father was working with and things became a little clearer. The woman was petite, with a cap of short red curls, freckles, and green eyes that sparkled like gems.

Although he felt a pang on his mothers behalf he was glad his father had found something to inspire him to get healthier. Besides after so many years his father deserved a little happiness. With a quick brush of lips through his hair, Stiles father was out the door and climbing into the cruiser. Setting the dishes in the dishwasher, Stiles soon followed, climbing into his jeep and heading to pick Mary up from her new home.

She gave him a once over once he got out of the Jeep and nodded her approval, "You look much better," she said taking his arm as he picked up the duffle from the floor beside her.

As they headed back out to the Jeep, she asked, "How are the arrangements for your memorial coming?"

"A couple of the old gang are arriving this evening as you know, still trying to get hold of one or two others. The funeral arrangements are already made, the memorial that's going to take a little more preparation and it's not really going to be a memorial….more of a wake."

Mary nodded and said, "So more a memory of their lives than a mourning of their deaths. Very good idea Stiles."

"Yeah, no actually," he said as he shoved the duffle in the back of the Jeep and turned to face her. Scrubbing the back of her neck agitatedly he said, "More a revival of the dead."

Mary's eyes narrowed as she studied the younger man suspiciously for a minute before saying, "I hope your not thinking of doing what I think you are."

The teen looked even more sheepish as he dug the toe of his sneaker into the gravel of the driveway. She sighed heavily as she looked up at the sky and said, "Oh gods you are, aren't you? Stiles what you're thinking of is insane even for someone like me. How many are you wanting to being back?"

"All together?" he asked carefully, at her impatient nod, he said reluctantly, "Eighteen or so." At her look of horror and disbelief, "but only six of them will we actually have to bring back. The rest we just have to change one event." Mary just looked at him for a moment and then sat down right there in the driveway and put her head between her knees.

Stiles knelt beside her and began to babble. "See I've already figured out the spell to bring the sic back just have to collect a few more people and items. The time traveling is really what I need your help for, and yes my father will probably freak out when he hears the part about the time traveling cause we actually already had that conversation a while ago." he said his voice lowering almost to a whisper, "I think we almost broke him that time."

"Only we didn't then, time travel I mean, Derek just de-aged and honestly, I'm still not sure how that happened. Anyway the way I figured it the major turning event in a lot of this was when the Hale House burned down in the first place, so I figure we go back to then and stop Kate Argent, save the Hale Pack, have Kate and her goons arrested for attempted murder and voila everything's all peachy and why are you laughing? Mary? Why are you laughing, this isn't funny. I'm being serious here. _Mary ?" _he whined.

**A/N/N~ This was a really long chapter, comparatively and the next is even longer. Hoping I won't have to delay my weekly post to two weeks. If I do I apologize ahead of time. Please send Mountain Dew and Bold Chex mix blended with pecans for fortification people. I'm gonna need it. ~A**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N~ Ok so this chapter got to be well over 13000 words and 60 pages. That was a little ridiculous and would have actually required an intermission if I kept going. So I divided it and the second half will be posted next week. I have no excuse other than I'm enjoying writing this story and hope I'm not writing these guys too OOC. Still kind of long. So if you want to go ahead and take a bathroom break, grab the huge tub of popcorn or the extra large drink. Go ahead, we'll wait. Otherwise settle in and please remember to read and review. Please send reviews, I'm feeling a little neglected. Thanks you guys for your incredible support. ~A**

**A/N/N~ Trigger warning. This is T for a reason. Language and mention of rape and violence off camera so to speak. I have tried to be discreet about it, but the warning is here for a reason. ~A **

**Chapter 17a**

Neither Stiles nor Mary had ever actually made it into the Jeep. They were still outside sitting on the rather uncomfortable gravel driveway. Mary had recovered from her hysterical outburst and Stiles had finally wound down from his babbling outburst but neither one was talking to the other right now.

Mary took a deep breath and rolled her head on her shoulders with several cracks and pops sounding from her spinal column. Then she said, "Organize your thoughts, write it down, including spells, components, and the ritual."

Stiles grinned enthusiastically, "Already done," he said and jumped up, he ran around the Jeep to drag out his backpack. Pulling a folder out of the bag he ran back around and squatted by the older woman and gave her the folder.

"Why am I not surprised that you already have a folder set up and why do I have the feeling if I gave you enough time you'd have a PowerPoint display?" Mary asked with heavy amusement.

"I had it in the works, actually," the boy said a little sheepishly. She snorted but worked hard to maintain her composure and managed it as she opened the file and began studying it right there. Sitting on the gravel drive with Stiles sitting right there beside her.

The first page listed the ingredients and spell components that would be needed. The second page was a diagram showing how the ritual would be set up, including the people who would be there and where they would stand and the people who would be standing in for the deceased person.

Each of those who had passed, had two living representatives, both of whom had to have some connection, emotional or physical to the deceased. There were also objects or would be, one would have genetic material from the deceased and the other was a personal object that belonged to the deceased.

The next part of the file was about the more complicated spell. The time traveling spell was to be centered around the date of the Hale fire. The spell was to be done on the second full moon of July 31, the blue moon. Which meant the same night that they brought Stiles pack mates back from the dead they would have to return to the past and save the Hale pack.

Then there was a copy of the investigation into the fire at Hale House. Because at the time of the fire there were no living witnesses, Stiles hypothesized that there were actually more victims than originally stated in the report. After all they had missed Cora being alive entirely. He thought that there were several victims whose remains who had been almost incinerated completely. Because of the skill of Mr. Harris and because the investigators were trying to cover up their respective parts in the arson and deaths. He thought there were actually eleven victims in the fire, plus Laura who wouldn't have been killed by Peter if the fire had never occurred.

It was obvious he was still working on the part of the spell that involved the going back in time. Mary rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly as she thought and this day started so well, "Do you have a pen, Stiles?"

The teen reached into his backpack and pulled out a pen. He handed it over and the older woman began putting notes onto the pages. Reference materials, spell component corrections, even notes on a change in position for a couple of the people.

She continued to make notes as Stiles levered himself and then her up off of the gravel. He guided her into the passenger seat, casually brushing gravel and dirt off of her pants. He buckled her into the seat before heading around to the drivers side. "Where to boss lady?"

"How much time do we have before your friends arrive?"

"An hour maybe more," Stiles said checking his watch, "Depends on how fast they can clear the debris and the traffic jam. Taking out his phone, Stiles texted Jackson and Issac hoping one of them had thought to take their cell phone with them while they were playing.

After three rings Issac answered the phone, he was out of breath, as he said, "We're playing already, Mom." Stiles could hear the screams and shouts of children in the background.

"Sounds like you're not the only one," Stiles said with a smirk the other teen couldn't see.

"Yeah well, Jackson had a football. We started tossing it back and forth, and all of a sudden we had every kid within a quarter mile showing up to join us, some of the teens and adults too. You knew that too didn't you?" Issac asked as he looked back at the crowd gathered in the field. "What are you scheming now Stilinski?"

"You know me Issac, always scheming. If you guys are staying after what's about to happen, which I'm hoping for by the way. It'll be good to get your faces in the public eye as the nice boys who played ball and kept the kids occupied at that horrible traffic jam. As well as getting you familiar with those you're protecting in our territory." Stiles replied easily. "You should be getting company from some Sheriffs deputies in a bit with water. Have you had any updates as to when you might be home?"

"No but if the deputies are coming they might have some information, we'll call you when…" Stiles heard some sort of commotion going on in the background and Issac said quickly, "Give us a minute Stiles."

Suddenly everything on the other end of the line went muffled, he thought he could hear Jackson call Issac's name and if the rustling was any indication, he imagined the pair were running. Then there were noises that Stiles didn't recognize, but voices were arguing in the background. Then there was a scream followed by some thumping.

Another minute and Issac came back on the phone and said, "So Stiles, how far away are your dad's deputies?"

"Uhm, probably any minute now, why?" Stiles asked a little nervously.

"Cause a couple of the drivers apparently are having a little road rage without actually driving. One pulled a knife," Issac said, "not a good thing with all of these kids and civilians around."

"Gods when did we become _not _the civilians?" Stiles said rubbing his face, "Hold on," he signaled for Mary to hand him her phone, which she did and he punched his fathers number into Mary's cell phone and waited for his father to pick up on the other end.

When he answered with, "Stiles, this isn't really a…

"Dad,theguysareinthemiddleofafight…" Stiles spoke so fast that even Mary looked at him with a smile, shaking her head, before turning the page she was reading to the next.

"What did you just say?" the Sheriff asked and then said, "and maybe at normal speed for a human being."

"The guys are in the traffic jam like I said and they had an incident. A couple of the people got into a fight one of them pulled a knife and it threatened to spill over to the uh.. civilians. So they broke it up." Stiles said a little more calmly.

The Sheriff sighed, "What were they doing out of their car?"

"Dad, they're werewolves." Stiles said as if it should be obvious to everyone, "They were cooped up on a plane for hours. It's nearing 100 degrees, you really expected them to stay cooped up in a box on wheels for however long it takes to get the traffic cleared and moving? They were doing the highly suspicious thing of playing football with the kids from the other cars, " Stiles said and there was a snap to his voice that had the Sheriff remembering his wife using the same tone on the few occasions he and his wife had argued.

"Okay, okay, we'll use citizens arrest for the safety of the community. Where are they?" the sheriff relented.

Stiles relayed the request for information to Issac who said, "We passed the county line about a quarter mile back." the other teen offered. The Spark passed on the information to his father who said he would take care of it.

"So I guess, we'll see you when we see you," Stiles said in a frustrated tone.

"Did you miss us, Stiles?" Issac teased.

"We're kind of on a time crunch here Issac," he said gently.

"What you gonna have the funeral without us? I liked Danny but it's not like he's in a hurry to get laid to rest." Issac said a little more respectfully.

Then Stiles said the words that always had everyone else either freaking out or suddenly becoming instantly calmer, "Issac I have a plan."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek was waiting for the pair of magic users, when they arrived. Stiles had already told the other pair of werewolves to meet them at the beta's apartment.

Mary had called ahead to warn him they were coming. The werewolf had wedged the door open and was still in the process of clearing off the table they used when they were having one of their planning sessions.

The green eyed beta had taken all of the papers off of the table and thrown them on his bed. Not before Stiles had caught sight of plans for this apartment including his own hand drawn blueprint. "We need to add you an office with a drafting table," Stiles said distractedly, "and you need to finish your degree."

Looking over at him, Derek replied, "You're the one that got offered the internship, Stiles."

"Yeah, but you have more focus and probably more talent," Stiles said as he began laying out the materials they had brought with them. Mary took a clean sheet of paper and began writing what appeared to be a recipe. Which she then handed over to Stiles.

The Spark looked at it for a minute with his brows knit, muttering to himself under his breath, the werewolf listened as the teen mumbled, "Healing, energy, maintaining life force, mental clarity, more energy, stamina…. What is this some kind of energy drink for Sparks?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Mary replied. "For what you have planned I think we'll both need huge quantities of it too."

"As in several a day?" asked Stiles as he studied the ingredients.

"No, as in gallons a day," she said making notes on another paper absently, "before and after the ritual on the full moon."

Derek snatched the recipe out of Stiles hands, with a squawk and swatting hands from the teen as he tried to grab the paper back from the wolf. "These ingredients…some of them are dangerous."

"Which is why Stiles will be mixing the concoction very carefully," Mary said, not even looking up from what she was doing. "Then I'll be testing it before anyone tries drinking it.

"What are you planning on doing on the full moon?" Derek asked seriously studying the pair. His concern increased as Stiles suddenly wouldn't meet his eyes and dropped all pretense of trying to get the recipe back from the werewolf.

"I'd prefer to discuss it at our pack meeting tomorrow," Stiles said as he begins drawing a rough circle on a scrap of sketch paper. Not a lie but not exactly the truth either, Derek determined listening to the others heartbeat.

"Stiles?" Derek growled at the human as he stepped closer in his usually effective intimidation technique. This time the teen merely huffed a laugh as he turned to face the older man.

"Yeah that's so not working this time Sour wolf. I'm your friend and you are a protector not an aggressor, so don't go there." the Spark smirked as he patted Derek's chest over his heart. The action caused the former Alpha's heart to give a little jump as a hint of electricity seemed to fizzle through his blood. Which also had the side effect of making him forget why he was trying to intimidate the hyper teen.

Catching on to the train of thought, and putting together some signs, Derek asked with concern, "Stiles did you take your meds this morning?"

The teen stared at him for a minute and then a minute longer before finally admitting, "Uh, I don't remember?"

The werewolf shook his head and said, "Give me your keys and I'll pick up your meds while I get the ingredients for your power boost drink."

"Thank you Derek," Mary said, "that's very thoughtful of you. We appreciate it and Stiles, you know better than to forget your meds."

"Hey," Stiles said with the telltale waving of his hands, "no picking on the Mastermind."

"Yeah," said Derek with a snort, "okay Mastermind." as he grabbed his jacket and keys before heading to the door. Then he realized he was leaving the two distracted magic users alone in the loft and suddenly he was more reluctant to leave. He looked back at the pair at the table, both heads bent over what they were doing.

Without looking up Stiles said soothingly, "We're fine Derek, we're also pretty badass at this point. Well Mary more than me, but we'll be okay till you get back." For some reason that was all the beta needed to hear as he continued out the door. Not even realizing what had just happened.

Neither of the pair spoke until they heard the SUV start up and drive away and still they waited a few minutes more before they said anything to make sure he was out of earshot. "So are you going to tell any of them the second part of the plan?" Mary asked.

"No, we're only telling them the first part of the spell," Stiles said distractedly. Mary looked over to see what the teen was working on. When she saw the spells he was studying she gave the teen a somewhat scandalized look.

"Who exactly are we planning on burglarizing then, Mr. Stilinski?" she asked as she stood and crossed her arms. Stiles eyes snapped up to meet hers. He didn't try to cover what he was doing, as he gave her a sheepish grin.

"Technically not burglarizing. But I plan on getting into the Argent's place, to get something personal of Chris Argent's so that I can at least scry for him. If not find information on where he actually is so that we can get in touch with him or at least figure out where to start looking." Stiles explained with a charming smile

Mary shook her head at him, "Then I'm coming with you to show you how to break into a place without so much magic or fuss."

"Breaking and entering as a bonding exercise, who knew," Stiles said as he went back to finding the research material that Mary had him studying from the list she had made earlier. Meanwhile she dragged one of the books she'd had in her duffle bag closer to her to begin reading a few pages.

Several minutes later, he heard her give a sharp inhale of breath and looked up to find her pulling an envelope from the pages of the book. He watched as she opened the envelope and drew out a couple of pages of stationary and begin reading. When she was done there was a slight flush to her cheeks and tears in her eyes. For a few seconds Mary looked as if she wasn't sure whether to burst into tears or rip the letter to shreds.

"Something wrong?" the teen asked in a concerned tone.

The older woman carefully folded the letter and put it back in the envelope and putting that in her purse before looking up at the teen. She looked thoughtful before she said, "My ma…lover. He used to like to leave me love notes, just random little things that I would find later and read to kind of brighten my day."

"He was the Alpha of our pack. We were happy for a long time, then a few years ago, we took in a young woman, a human named Tara. Suddenly all of the males in the pack were acting like she was in heat. When I brought it up to the other females in the pack, I wasn't the only one seeing the behavior." she said with a shrug that was benign considering her expression, "So I brought it to my…lovers attention that I thought that she might have been using some chemical or drug, to entice them all. He slammed me into the wall and threatened to rip my throat out if I ever spoke against his mate like that again."

"I took him at his word, warned the females of the pack what I thought was going on, packed up my things, and left. We had been together for twenty years that was three years ago."

Stiles waited for a few minutes before he asked, "So obviously you've been around werewolves longer than I have, so I have a question. What is with the whole slamming the vulnerable human body up against flat surfaces. I mean seriously, what's up with that?" he turned the page in the book he was reading. "I've been thrown against floors, walls, doors, steering wheels, tables, hoods, trunks, floors, oh and did I mention floors and walls again."

Absently the woman replied, "Doesn't matter how old they are, the same thing applies, hormonal archaic mating rituals."

Stiles merely snorts and goes back to his research the pair are quietly studying with both making occasional notes on something they've found when Mary says seriously, "Too bad you don't have a mate of your own though."

"What…why?" Stiles gave a little squawk and dropped the pen he had been holding. Truthfully it flew across the table to nearly land in a discarded cup of coffee sitting on the end of the table.

Mary gave the sheepish teen a serious look before saying, "They'll give you an anchor something to hold you to this time and place when you go time traveling. They'll also give you the added strength you might need to complete both spells without getting so weak you can't come back."

"Without the need for a Super Boost energy drink." Stiles said with a smirk.

"Stiles I'm being serious here," Mary said giving him a look that had him sobering quickly. "This spell could kill us both, and maybe some of the others as well, if we're not careful. And no you'd still need the potion."

"No," Stiles said angrily, "I will be careful and we are still doing this. I promise none of you will get hurt." Something in his tone and the wording of his statement made her look at him sharply but Stiles had turned away and he was pacing slightly as he continued with more amusement. "Besides you just got through telling me how fickle men are, now you want me to get a mate?"

Then he turned to look at her, "You said mate, I'm assuming when you say mate, you mean werewolf, right?"

"Preferably, yes." she said following along with his distraction, "Foxes are too fickle, coyotes are too self-centered, both are weaker than werewolves. Wolves are the strongest of the Shifters and have the strongest protective instincts, especially when it comes to their mate or their cubs."

"Yeah well, I get that but none of…lets just say basically nobody cares that much to even consider me for becoming their respective mate, so it's just not going to happen."

"I wasn't really suggesting you make a life-long mating commitment just so you can complete these spells safely, cub. I was just saying it would certainly make things easier if you had one before we started all of this on the full moon." Mary told him raising her hands to show she was dropping the subject.

"Yeah well like I said, no Stiles love going on here, and besides I may talk a good game but I don't think I'm built for a casual hook-up type of thing." the teen said, with the very slightest hint of sorrow in his tone as he added, "Half of them tolerate me and the other half…I don't know. They just don't see the awesomeness that is the Stiles." he tried to play it off as a joke but Mary heard the sad tone in his voice.

"That's their loss then cub." Mary said with a quick nod to the teen.

The boy merely nodded back before returning to his research. It was just a few minutes later that Derek came walking into the loft carrying two bags of groceries. Stiles glanced up and went and helped the werewolf with the groceries, taking them to the very small kitchenette. He began to put together the recipe that Mary had provided, following the instructions she had written out carefully. Not noticing for several minutes, until he turned around that the werewolf had followed him to the doorway of the kitchenette and was still standing there watching him work.

"Ok, please tell me Stalker Wolf is not a hereditary condition that you're getting from Peter's side of the family?" he asked as he stepped back slightly from the older man who was staring at him a little strangely.

Instead of answering the teen, the wolf pulled an orange tube out of his jacket pocket and held it up for the Spark to see his meds. Quickly the younger man took the pill bottle shook out two of the pills into his palm and dry swallowed them. He then slid the pills into his pocket before saying gratefully, "Thanks Der."

If the teen were pressed to give a description of the expression on Derek's face, he would have to say it was curious, flattered, but also a little sad, Stiles was waiting for the mixture to warm up and turn clear and green. He asked, "So how much do I owe you?"

Derek shook his head at the younger man and said, "What are you up to Stiles?"

Instantly on the alert, the Spark had to fight not to tense up but he figured he had already given himself away considering the pensive expression on the other man's face. Still he tried to bluff his way out of it, he gave a cocky little smirk as he replied, "What, I don't know what you're talking about Sour Wolf."

The wolf was suddenly right in front of him, herding the Spark back against the counter and bracketing him on either side with his arms as he said, "You're making a potion that basically gives you more power over time and may keep you alive if you're doing magic that would probably kill a normal person." the wolf growled, "So I'll ask you again, what are you up to Stiles?"

The younger man shook his head slightly glancing over at the potion to see it starting to steam but still cloudy, he looked back at the older man and where he was positioned in comparison to the werewolf and said with a surprisingly gentle tone, "Again with the aggressive overtones."

Derek looked a little offended for a second and then Stiles said, "I'm going to tell everyone tomorrow, when we're all here together, Derek,"

Anger flashed in the other mans eyes, but there was a feeling to the whole situation that the teen couldn't identify, as the werewolf said, "Stiles…" with a growl.

"Derek," Stiles snarked back not in the least intimidated by the older man as he said, "I know you don't trust me, but just this once try and understand that what we have planned is for the Pack and the protection of Beacon Hills, okay?" He said as he reached up to take the older mans shoulders in his hands. Derek leaned into the younger mans hold slightly and he was surprised to find himself held firmly in place. He gave a barely perceptible shiver as Stiles thumb brushed against the fragile skin that ran between Derek's neck and shoulder.

Stiles looked down and saw the liquid turn the clearer neon green and gently pushed the werewolf away for a minute. He poured the liquid into a canning jar and carried it out to Mary for her opinion on whether he had been successful in recreating the recipe she had given him.

Meanwhile back in the kitchen, Derek took a moment to clean up after Stiles and when he was done, he remembered the conversation he had overheard when he had finished the shopping a little early and returned to hear the elder witch warning Stiles. He hadn't caught all of the conversation as he had parked in the back, but he had heard "mate, time traveling, both spells, and kill us both."

Reaching up Derek brushed his hand across where Stiles had traced his skin. He knew it was an accidental touch, not an actual caress but it had still felt so intimate that his body had definitely reacted. Another reason he had stayed in the kitchen while Mary and Stiles were checking the potency of the draught that Stiles had created.

Rather than thinking about that oh so small gesture, Derek tried to figure out what the pair were up to. Time traveling he figured must be a euphemism for something else, he vaguely remembered when he had been his younger self, the Sheriff freaking out because of his forced de-aging that Kate had done to him. They couldn't really do that could they?

Then Derek heard Stiles cell phone ring, Stiles answered and Derek unashamedly listened in,

"_Stilinski, we're headed toward Derek's loft." _Jackson said, then asked suspiciously, _"He knows we're coming, right? This isn't gonna end up with him trying to rip us apart or something…"_

"_No Jax, he knows you're coming and he's not going to throw you guys out or anything. Territorial he might be, but he's not a douche. So come ahead. I'll take you out to eat in a little bit. Then I have to take care of that other business. Glad you finally got clear of the traffic jam. Oh yeah and welcome home you guys. See you soon." _Stiles actually had a contented smile on his face, that was something to see.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"And tomorrow we need to set the wards in the foundations of the Hale House, around the perimeter of the preserve and in the brick line I'm having set around the perimeter of the properties." Mary said thoughtfully to the Spark, as he drove to the Goal Line. The three werewolves were riding in Jackson's rental, a few hundred yards in front of them.

"Yeah and sometime in the next couple of days, I'll fix the root cellar. I know we said we would wait until you had moved the Nemeton but I think we need to do it for the spell. Doing the ritual on top of the Nemeton just leaves us exposed to a whole load of problems." he said as they drew to a stop at a stoplight he rubbed his temple feeling a little pain develop below the skin there. "I also need to work on getting Ethan back here. I wish I had more than just his blood to work with but beggars can't be choosers."

"Stiles, are you sure you're not taking on too much?" Mary asked gently. "Maybe we could wait…"

"No!" Stiles said a little desperately, then taking a breath continued, "These things are coming before Scott and the others get back from camp. There isn't another Blue Moon before then. It has to be this coming weekend. The timing may suck but its what we have to work with. We can't wait."

Both Issac and Jackson had been stunned by the warm reception they had received from the former Alpha, especially considering neither of them had a good parting with Derek.

By the time they arrived at the café, it was obvious that the trio had a conversation on the way there. Whatever was said seemed to have resolved any remaining resentment or issues between the three. Stiles kind of wished he'd been a fly on the wall to hear the conversation, and was tempted for a split second to use his powers to find out, but he resisted the temptation. Just happy that any remaining tension between the three was resolved.

The group moved to the corner booth, and Stiles once again felt the stares of a few of the residents of Beacon Hills especially the teens. He drained the glass of water he had asked for, drinking the fluids he hoped would get rid of the impending headache he felt coming on.

He saw both Issac and Jackson tense up and knew that they probably heard what the nosey teens were saying, "Ignore them," Stiles said in an irritated tone, "they don't know us, they don't know you and it has never mattered what anyone else thought. You guys never got that."

He continued in a quieter tone that didn't carry in the busy café. "You're here now, you're back with your Pack, with your family. That's what we are, a family. A bit unconventional, definitely dysfunctional, but a family, nonetheless." He said then pulled the jar filled with glowing green liquid out of his ever present backpack, and poured it over the glass of ice before sipping it gingerly.

"Stiles, if you start glowing or start sprouting extra body parts, I don't care if you are Pack, I'm not going to associate with you," Jackson said staring at the liquid suspiciously.

Issac merely stared at the jar in trepidation before asking, "What does it taste like anyway," Stiles stared at the glass turning it this way and that to catch the lurid color of the contents in the sunset's dwindling light, before taking another sip.

"Actually it's the weirdest thing, you know how fresh mown grass smells, it's like that only as a taste, with orange, cinnamon, watermelon and pumpkin all thrown in together. Which sounds really disgusting when you think about it, but when you don't think about it, it tastes amazing." He looked around at everyone at the table, to find them all grinning at him.

"Oh god please tell me it isn't making my voice sound like I took a hit off a helium balloon or like a squeaky toy or something and I just can't tell it." Stiles said in horror.

Derek and Jackson tried hard not to snort at the teen, Issac however said honestly and with a surprisingly childish grin, "No, nothing like that. I just realized I actually missed your babbling, which is maybe a little weird to say but I did." The curly haired werewolf said blushing at the statement.

The group ordered their food and talked about what they had all been doing and while they each knew that a great deal was being glossed over by Jackson and Issac, nothing was said by Derek or Stiles because they were doing a bit of glossing over themselves.

By the time the food had arrived Stiles was refilling his glass with more of the liquid from the jar. The next thing they knew the manager was stepping up to the table and said, "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, son."

"Who, me?" Stiles said his eyebrows drawing down in a scowl as he asked , "Why?"

"This is a family restaurant, we don't allow alcohol," the manager replied and suddenly they realized, that the noise had died away to nothing and they were the center of attention in the establishment.

"Ok one, not alcohol, homemade energy drink with enough seaweed in it to sink the Seventh Fleet. Second off, smell it if you don't believe me." he said taking the lid off and lifting the jar to the man.

"Thirdly, I think you should make sure of your facts before making an accusation like that," Jackson said, "Otherwise my friend here could sue you for defamation of character and slander,"

Some unknown teenagers voice in the crowd of onlookers called out, "Stillinski was never your friend Jackson,"

"He was my friend in the third grade, Greenberg, and yeah he's my friend now." Jackson snapped at the teen. Perhaps not thinking his voice would be recognizable in the crowd, the kid sank down in his seat in his booth.

"Pack it up, we'll take it to go," Mary said handing the man a hundred dollar bill, "and keep the change, not for a tip as you obviously don't deserve it. But for classes in etiquette and good manners, as clearly you have neither."

The waitress bought over several carry out boxes and cups, and Mary handed her a hundred and said clearly as she gazed at the manager frostily, "This is for you, my dear, you deserve the tip and I'm not going to penalize you for the actions of your manager."

She helped the guys pack up their food as the mother of three children sitting at the booth two tables away said in recognition. "You were the boy playing football in the traffic jam."

Issac and Jackson glanced around at the woman, Jackson just nodded and went back to packing food away. While Issac answered politely, "Yes, ma'am."

"And you stopped those two hooligans from fighting when the one had pulled the knife. You were very brave," she said honestly admiring. Staring at the stunned manager who was standing there blushing and open-mouthed, the woman continued rather angrily. "My youngest takes injections for his diabetes, if he had to take his insulin would you assume he was doing drugs?" she asked angrily, "It's shameful how small minded people jump to conclusions and can be so intolerant of others differences. Shocking and shameful. We're leaving children."

"But mom, we haven't gotten our pie yet." said the little boy who appeared to be the middle child whined.

The mother said soothingly, "We'll get frozen yogurt instead…at another establishment," the last was said with a glare directed at the manager. She guided her children out the door after leaving the money for the bill on the table.

Their little group apparently started a trend, as suddenly the manager had a mass exodus of customers out of his restaurant. The manager once he got over his shock tried to appease the customers in every way he could think of without success.

Stiles drove to a nearby park that had tables for picnics. As well as a nearby playground that had several kids playing on the equipment in the mid-summer heat. The sound of the children playing and everyone eating their still warm food were the only sounds heard for a while.

"So I say we boycott the Goal Line, Chappie's has better curly fries anyway," Stiles said as he took another huge bite of his triple bacon cheeseburger.

"Seconded," Mary said and added, "All those in favor say aye," Unfortunately all three werewolves had food in their mouths, so instead raised their hands. "The ayes have it by a unanimous decision. " Mary concluded with snorts coming from Issac and Jackson and even Derek grinned.

Stiles meanwhile said enthusiastically, "I'm not going to say I told you so but way to influence the hearts and minds, you guys. That mom was awesome, she was like…like the 'everymom'. Anybody else get reminded of their own, in the best way possible of course?" This time all of the young men at the table had rather bittersweet smiles as they all nodded in agreement with the Sparks statement.

They tried to get back to their previously interrupted conversation without success and finally Issac asked, "So Stiles I hope this incredible place that we're kind of familiar with, it's not Derek's loft is it?"

"Nope, someplace much better. No offense dude," he said to Derek. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key on a chain and dangled it in front of Jackson.

"No, way." Jackson said, "She kept it?"

"She said it had sentimental value and threatened me with bodily maiming, mangling and spindling, if I didn't return it. So get a copy made and return it, okay." Stiles explained, "But just so you don't get your hopes up, she has or is moving on to one of Dad's deputies."

"It's okay, I moved on to but we broke up and now I'm looking for something serious but not right away. I kind of need a cooling off period. But this…" he said as he took the key from Stiles outstretched hand, "This is incredible, thanks man, you're the best."

Stiles gave one of his sunniest grins as he went back to eating his curly fries and they continued talking about various things. When Issac suddenly blurted out, "So where's Scott?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

With deceptive calm Stiles had explained Scott's absence from Beacon Hills. While also explaining who Liam was to both of the Betas,, and then who Kira was to Jackson. They finally talked about Allison's death, Danny's death, who the twins were, about what was really going on while Jackson had been gone, Malia and her relationship to Peter.

Derek talked candidly about how deeply the loss of Erica and Boyd had affected him and then he and Stiles both talked about Malia and Braeden. Stiles explained his intention of bringing Chris Argent and Ethan back to town. It was obvious to everyone though that there was more going on that Stiles and Mary weren't telling them.

"So Stiles," Jackson said giving the other teen, the face. The face that usually got Jackson Whittemore whatever he wanted. He didn't even have to say anything else.

"Geez, you guys are persistent, annoyingly so," the Spark said huffily as he wiped his fingers on a napkin.

"Yeah, well we learned from you," Issac said with a slight smirk.

"So yeah thanks for that…_Mom_," Jackson said giving his version of puppy eyes to the human teen. Followed quickly by Issac, who, let's face it, did puppy face much better than any of the other betas.

"Oh my gawd, not that again. Seriously, enough with the puppy faces, I'm so not looking at you guys anymore." Stiles said seriously as he did his best to shield his eyes from the others. Jackson ended up laughing along with Issac and even Derek smirked at the lengths Stiles was going to in not only avoiding eye contact but also in avoiding discussing the plans when all of the people he had planned to pull together for this memorial weren't in attendance.

Mary gathered up their garbage and even she had to smile when she heard Stiles say something under his breath about, "Darn it how come she gets to be immune to the puppy faces."

"Years of practice, cub, years of practice." as she carried their garbage to throw away in the nearby trash can. With that done she walked back and grabbing the Spark's arm, pulled him out of his seat said, "Sorry to eat and run gentlemen, but we have quite a few things to get done before the pack meeting tomorrow., and it is getting late."

Stiles gave a pathetically grateful grin to the older woman as Issac and to a much smaller degree Jackson pouted at having their fun spoiled. Derek meanwhile just had that same surprisingly concerned expression on his face as the pair left the park heading to Stiles parked Jeep.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles woke up several hours later in his bed, his phone was vibrating an alarm tone under his pillow. It was after midnight and Stiles had a little time before he was supposed to meet Mary at the Argent's. Pulling out the two vials of now purified blood, he checked the label to see which one had "E" printed on it.

Pulling out the crystal pendant he wrapped it around the vial of blood with a slight grimace before, pulling his phone out and mentally scrying for the twin's phone number. Numbers began to appear on the screen of his cell phone. He listened to it ring several times before someone answered in a sleep roughened voice. "Yeah," That voice was not Ethan's.

Stiles decided to pull a bluff, "Need to talk to Ethan," he said irritably.

The voice on the other end said, "He's a little busy."

Stiles whose temper had been surprisingly short of late, said harshly, "This is his Uncle Derek Hale, there's been a death in the family. Put him on the line, now."

There was a slight hesitation before the person on the other end of the was heard to be muttering and growling, "Derek?" a voice said a little desperately.

"No its Stiles," said the Spark, before something made him ask, "Who is that, Ethan?'' he heard a threatening growl from the other end of the phone and suddenly a grunt of pain. "Oh hell no, Ethan hold out your hand."

He heard a whimper and then the sound of flesh on flesh again, and he shouted angrily, "Ethan do it now!" Stiles closed his eyes and reached out with the hand that had the blood and pendant. He felt the odd sensation of cold then his hand brush against bared skin. Taking hold of the flesh he dug in almost painfully and pulled and suddenly found a naked Ethan pulled on top of his bed, bruised but intact.

"Ethan who the hell was that fucker," Stiles said furiously. Ethan looked up at Stiles in shock through a quickly darkening shiner. The Spark pulled a blanket over the top of the bruised and beaten Omega, and when his hand swept across something viscous along the back of the werewolves thighs his face morphed into a look of rage, "Never mind, I got him, don't move." Ethan stared in shock as the teen suddenly disappeared.

Surprisingly the former Alpha obeyed the teenaged human and tried to convince himself that before the teen had disappeared he hadn't seen equal parts black and red in his eyes and that the Nogitsune hadn't returned. At the moment though he was just painfully, shockingly aware of how vulnerable he was and merely pulled the blanket around him more securely as the pain of his bruises and other injuries ached.

He drifted for a bit when he heard a noise downstairs, and then the sound of the front door slamming. He glanced up at the clock on the nightstand to find a half an hour had passed since Stiles had disappeared from what he could only assume was the teens bedroom. He heard a mumbled statement and then the opening and closing of what sounded like a refrigerator door. Then the sound of someone stomping up the stairs.

"I just want to know if it will hurt or help a wounded werewolf Mary?" Stiles said as he marched into his room carrying what looked a lot like Ethan's backpack over his shoulder, a Mason jar with glowing green liquid in one hand and a cell phone in the other. "Yeah, okay how much?"

"No it was an Alpha or he would have healed and no I didn't kill the bastard although I should have dammit." Stiles then lowered himself to look into Ethan's eyes as he said, "Ethan I have to look cub." as he gently pulled away the blanket. "Lots of bruising, probably some internal injuries, some scratches probably more from the bastard being partially shifted while he attacked him."

"Alright going to turn you over now," respectfully he pulled the blanket over the groin area to keep the Omega covered as he continued to examine the older boys body. "No deep scratches or claim marks, he wasn't inducting him into the pack or claiming him as mate. He was just…." Instead of finishing the sentence the younger boy just growled ferociously, ending in more of a scream than an actual roar.

An admonishment came from the other end of the line, and the teen though still shaking with rage said, "You're right, I'm sorry, he's what's important right now. So how much should I give him?" Stiles asked urgently. Concern obvious in his voice and in the way he stroked the Omega's hair. "Yeah, okay I can do that, Got it."

Ethan watched as the younger man listened to the female voice on the other end of the cell phone. A scowl appeared on his face for a split second before he answered, "Of course I'll be on time. I'll meet you there as soon as I get Ethan settled comfortably ." With that he clicked the phone closed and said, "This is your bag, it has your stuff in it. Get some clothes, the bathroom is across the hall. I'm asking honestly, do you need help getting there or anything?"

Ethan levered himself to an upright position with a not so suppressed groan and a wince. "Bastard, really should have killed him." Stiles repeated with an angry hiss, Get something to wear, I'll be back, have to add something to this," he said indicating the jar. "Be right back,"

Stiles ran out of his bedroom and thundered down the stairs. He heard the younger boy rummage in the cabinets as he worked painfully to look through his backpack for something clean to wear. He pulled out a pair of boxers and a bottle of body wash that he also used as shampoo and a toothbrush. He heard something crinkle in the bottom of the bag and dug down to the bottom to see what it was only to find an envelope stuffed with money and a silver locket with a broken chain.

He was stunned, the locket was the only thing of value he had left by the time he got to the biker gang/werewolf pack. One of the beta females had taken it from him. He prayed as he opened the clasp, to find two pictures still inside of it. One of a set of twin boys and the other of a very young couple, the man in a Marine uniform. He clasped the locket so tight in his hand for a moment he thought he might bend the soft metal, as his eyes burned with unshed tears.

He heard the younger boy climbing back up the stairs, "Yeah dad, I'm going to set him up in the guest room for the night at least. After the pack meeting tomorrow, I'll see if he wants to stay somewhere else, gonna give him some of the leftover farmers pie if he's hungry. You guys need me to bring you anything?" There was a mumbled response from the cell phone, "Okay but Sharon will tell me if you don't eat healthy," a deeper rumble which the teen seemed to be smirking about as he said in a cheerful tease, "Love you too dad."

He looked up as he shoved his phone in his pocket, "Ready for a shower?"

Ethan held up the envelope and said, "Not my money," then he held up the locket and said, "How did you get this back?"

"They owed you that money and every other valuable they had," he explained vehemently, "I settled for just the money, and not killing anyone. The locket was your's to begin with, so it went in the bag too. So are you going to be all macho or gonna admit you might need help."

Ethan shook his head with the shampoo and toothbrush wrapped up in his boxers. He stood and wobbled his way to the bedroom door. Stiles followed along behind, after pulling out one of the drawers in his dresser and taking out a pair of jam pants and thick socks. The older boy had paused in the door and started to wobble to the bathroom.

Stiles had Ethan's arm pulled over his shoulder and was guiding him to the bathroom, where he sat him on the toilet seat. "Shower I think would be best until you start healing," he saw the older boy reach for his finger and realizing what he was about to do, slapped his hand away before he could break his own finger. "It won't help for injuries done by an Alpha, you know that Ethan," Then he pulled back the curtain to show the shower had a built-in seat in the stall. "Dad is starting to have trouble with his knees so he had this installed. Lucky for you," he explained with a comforting smile. Then he stepped back out of the bathroom to get a couple of towels and a wash cloth from the hall closet, as well as a razor.

As he stepped back into the bathroom and helped the older werewolf into the shower and gave him the supplies and saw the other adjust the temperature slightly. "I'm leaving the door open, shout if you need me."

Stiles went downstairs and heated up the Farmers Pie in the microwave. The pie was actually a quiche but his father was a little funny about the word quiche. Thinking it was too French for a blue collar man like himself to use. While the quiche was heating up Stiles went upstairs and checked the guest bedroom. He had just changed the bed linens, so that wasn't a problem, he added an extra blanket though just in case.

He knew from brutal experience that being beaten up, you went one of two ways. You were in so much pain that you didn't want anything touching your skin. Or secondly your pain eased up enough for the shock to set in and you were suddenly freezing. With the added trauma of sexual assault, Stiles couldn't imagine how Ethan would feel. The thought made Stiles flip on a night light they had installed in the room for their occasional guests. He went downstairs to get the food, arranged on a tray and brought it and the jar of glowing blue liquid. He then carried the other mans backpack into the room and put it in the spare chair.

Stiles knocked on the bathroom door as he checked his watch, he heard something then that both broke his heart and that made the magic sizzle down his spine and want to return to wherever the Biker Pack had been and do a lot more damage. He hesitated for a moment, and then walked in and pulled off his shirt.

He opened the shower curtain from the back, he spoke soothingly to Ethan. Nonsense and mindless chatter to keep the older boy occupied while he bathed him. Stiles worked quickly and efficiently, remembering the nurses and caregivers who had taken care of his mother and how they worked with her.

He washed Ethan's hair, the older man had stopped crying and now was almost catatonic. "Ethan the locket how did it get broken?"

Ethan roused himself enough to respond, "The beta, Janelle she took it. The chain broke when she yanked it off my neck. They didn't like that I tried to get it back."

"It was yours they had no right to take it.," Stiles said trying to stay calm, as he had the twin rinse his hair out under the spray.

"Did it belong to your Mom?" He said as he handed the razor and a can of shaving cream to the werewolf.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Ethan asked a little more life in his voice, as he lathered his face quickly.

"My Mom had one too, she kept a picture of the three of us, her, me and my dad in it." Stiles replied as he smiled softly in memory.

"Aiden and I would take turns wearing it or carrying it. It was our good luck charm, that was why I lived. I was wearing it when he got killed by the Oni."

"No Ethan, luck had nothing to do with who lived and who died. The fox spirit was determined to eliminate threats and if it caused a little chaos along the way, all the better." Stiles said, trying desperately to get off that train of thought. "I can fix the chain a little later if you'd like?"

"We don't take charity." then realizing he had said, he corrected, "I don't take charity."

Stiles looked offended as he replied, "Not charity, Pack taking care of Pack."

"In case you forgot," he said as he drew the razor across his jaw line, "we're…I'm not part of your Pack. Scott never accepted…made us part of his Pack."

"Who said I was talking about Scott's pack?" the younger teen asked.

Ethan's head whipped around so fast he nicked himself with the razor. Stiles wasn't even in the bathroom any longer. The werewolf quickly finished shaving and managed to get himself a little stiffly out of the shower.

He toweled off and got dressed in the clothes, including the pajama bottoms the other teen had provided for him. He followed the teens scent to the room at the end of the hall and found him laying the silver locket out carefully on the marble topped dresser in the room. The lamp was shining a bright light on the delicate piece of jewelry.

A trip in the twins heart had him moving closer as Stiles glanced at him with a smirk, "Watch, don't touch." Then he gently traced a finger across the chain where he had put the two broken edges together. The two edges glowed orange and Stiles once more traced his fingers across the break in the chain again and Ethan heard a hiss and sizzle. With a hiss of his own Stiles shook his hand sharply, "Yow, that stings. Gotta figure out how to do that without touching next time." Quickly he stuck his finger in his mouth.

Ethan looked at the chain where it had been separated, the chain had joined together and was glowing the dark orange of cooling metal. He looked at Stiles who still had his finger in his mouth, he pulled the other mans finger out of his mouth. An oddly shaped blister was forming on his fingertip, the edges were blackened and weeping.

Black veins began to stand out and pulse along his hand and bare arm. Stiles tried to snatch his arm away but the former Alpha was still stronger than the Spark and held his hand in place as he continued to draw the pain from the younger man. "Hey knock it off, this was something for you and not about me. Besides," he said trying to pull his arm away again as he continued, "Besides, you need to keep your healing energy for yourself. You still look like a walking abstract painting."

"I'm not healing, only drawing pain," Ethan prevaricated as he started feeling a little light headed. Stiles suddenly had his free arm wrapped around the other man's waist and was leading him to the bed.

Taking him by the chin, Stiles looked him in the eye and deliberately caused his eyes to turn black with fiery embers as he commanded, "Ethan let go of me, now." The werewolf obeyed and exposed his neck, not really recognizing the eyes as an Alpha but recognizing a leader by the voice.

A tray was placed in his lap and the voice commanded, "Eat now and drink every bit of that liquid." Ethan tentatively sampled the still warm food and then began eating the pie and vegetable sides. He looked at the blue liquid with trepidation. He stalled by asking, "Wasn't that green before?"

"Had to add a little something to make it usable by werewolves." Stiles said, before adding, "Drink it Ethan it will help." The older teen looked suspiciously at the liquid, before taking a sip and breathing deeply as he felt warmth fill his body.

He felt as if every cell in his body suddenly seemed to release the pain, and darkness it had held. Starting at his throat the sensation went up his spine into his brain and then back down his spine into the rest of his body. He kept eating and drinking until he found his fork scraping bare plate and that he had drunk the last drops of the liquid.

He looked up to find Stiles was coming back into the room with a large glass of water, which he set on the nightstand. He went back to the dresser and after puffing a breath of air across it as if he were cooling a bite of food. He lifted the locket and once again ran his finger over the chain.

"Still warm but not burning hot," the Spark said as he brought the necklace over to the other man. Ethan reached for the locket when something caught his attention. He grabbed Stiles wrist and turned Stile's finger to see that the burn had already healed.

"Are you still the Nogitsune?" he asked, a little fearfully.

Stiles laughed and shook his head, "Ethan, the Nogitsune is gone. I'm a Spark, not a fox. Now get some rest, we have some things to talk about tomorrow." Ethan then noticed Stiles hooking the werewolf's phone up to a charger and placing it on the nightstand by the bed. "You need anything, you call me. I have my cell phone with me. I'll be back later," he said before helping the werewolf get into the bed. As he left the room and turned off the overhead light.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N~ The last chapter of the next book will be posted Monday after next which would be the 23****rd**** of March. Happy Spring Equinox everyone. Also for those who aren't really astrologically inclined, a Blue Moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. It usually only happens once or twice a year, if that often. If Stiles gets half as tired doing all this as I did writing poor guys gotta be exhausted. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A **

**Chapter 17b**

Stiles was looking over what he hoped was Chris Argent's desk. Trying to find something that would let them know where the hunter was, "Who would have thought of just causing a lightning strike to shut off the alarm and trip the magnetic locking system." Stiles said out loud.

Mary who was in the kitchen replied, "Uhm that would be me. Hey Stiles come check this out." The teen came back through the home to the kitchen.

"Mary why would Argent put his contact information in here and not at his desk or at least in his office?" Stiles asked.

"Because, before he was a businessman or a hunter he was a father. Having contact information available in case of emergencies is always going to be a thing any parent does. The kitchen is the most easily accessible room in the house so that's where the information will be located." said Mary easily, "Isn't that where your father kept his?"

"No," said Stiles, as he quickly started typing numbers into his phone, then he finally added very quietly, "but my Mom did."

When he was finished typing in the numbers that were written on the dry-erase board, Stiles said, "We still need something to scry for him with if this doesn't work, like if these numbers are old or he's out of range." They headed further into the house, Stiles found Allison's room instead of stepping back out, he looked around and instantly felt like a voyeur.

The room was actually very neat for a teen's room and if not for the textbooks and papers spread out on the bed, Stiles would have said someone had cleaned up. Apparently Allison had been doing homework before she headed out to help the others fight the Oni and Nogitsune.

Stiles felt a strong chill across his spine and turned to leave the room, when he spied the vanity and saw the hairbrush sitting there. Rummaging through the drawers of her nightstand he found an old envelope and used it to collect the hair trapped in Allison's hairbrush. Before he beat a hasty retreat out of the bedroom. To find Mary in the doorway holding a wedding ring, staring at it intently, she held the ring out to him and said, "Read it."

He read the inscription, _"To Chris, NCCQNC Love Victoria. _I imagine it stands for _Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent. _

"We hunt those who hunt us," Mary interpreted.

"Yeah, it's the Argent family motto, or was. Allison and her dad changed it. But that wasn't until after her mother died." Stiles explained as he held the ring up to the light.

"Strange thing to put in a wedding ring, a symbol of love." Mary said curiously.

"Yeah well, not so sure they were a love match. I kind of got the impression it was more of an arranged thing between two families of hunters." Stiles said absently as he took the crystal pendant out of his pocket and carefully looped the chain through the ring. Then realizing what he had said, he added, "Not that they didn't fall in love, or love each other or Allison. They did, I know they did. It's just different, but hey it worked for them to a certain extent at least " he said with a shrug.

"The things you learn when doing a little housebreaking," Mary said in a bemused tone.

"Actually in California," Stiles offered helpfully, "its only housebreaking, which is second degree burglary. If you do it during the daylight hours, since we did our little burglary efforts after sunset it's considered to be breaking and entering and is actually a first degree burglary."

"Oh yes," Mary said, rolling her eyes, "and that makes it so much better. Heaven save me from a sheriff's son."

Stile snorted in amusement at her and reminded, "You knew who I was when you took me as a student."

"That I did, and I wouldn't change a thing." she said affectionately.

"So lets find Chris and get his ass back here," he said enthusiastically as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket. He called the first phone listed for Chris. He got a disconnect message. The second rang but there was no answer on the other end. The third rang several times, then someone picked up on the other end of the line and a voice said, "Winchester."

"Really?" Stiles said, and there was a scandalized tone to his voice. "Let me guess Issac got you interested in the series?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before the voice asked suspiciously, "Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"You know who it is and as for the other question…Do you want the truth?" Stiles asked as he listened to the man's voice. Trying to decide if Argent's voice sounded unusually stressed or as if anything else were going on around him.

"Why are you calling me kid?" Argent asked and that was when Stiles realized. The other man hadn't used his name yet.

"Do you know who this is, Argent?" Stiles asked just to make sure the older man knew who he was talking to. Even as he spoke he heard the older man moving.

"I know who you are Stiles, I'm just trying to figure out how you found this number and why you're calling me in the first place."

"Where are you Argent?" Stiles said, he was tired of people telling him what they could and couldn't do. When he was trying to figure out how to get them all back together. He heard angry sputtering from the other end of the line and Stiles said, "Hold out your hand Argent."

"Why?" Argent huffed over the line.

Stiles replied, "Patience is a virtue hunter. Don't you know that?"

Then Stiles closed his eyes and pulled power before he reached out and felt the flesh under his hand and heard the hunter gasp through the phone just before he pulled. Chris Argent appeared in the still darkened living room of his own home. He fell to his knees in reaction to the movement from one place to the other and looked up squinting in the dim light to find Stiles and a strange woman standing over him.

Stiles looks down at the older man and says with a smirk, "I know you like to be all tall, dark and mysterious hunter, but I really don't have the time right now."

Before he can even get to his feet, Stiles says, "You hate me because the Nogitsune killed Allison, I'm not the Nogitsune Argent, I never was."

"Look, I may have stayed away because of what happened to Allison Stiles but I didn't blame you, not really. It was more survivors guilt and grief for Allison." he finally got to his feet and said, "Don't I deserve to grieve for my daughter?"

"Do you really think that's what Allison would want?" Stiles asked the hunter incredulously. "Is that why you took Issac off and left him with a bunch of hunters?"

"I took Issac away because I thought he might in his grief over Allison come after you and kill you Stiles." the older man explained as he tiredly walked into the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of beer out of the fridge he sat down at the dining room table he took a deep drink from the bottle.

"Come to the pack meeting tomorrow at the loft after sundown." Stiles said somewhat mollified by Chris' answers, but still upset with the hunter.

He started to turn for the door when the hunter said in a subdued voice, "I don't deserve to be there."

"Tell Gerard Argent to get out of your head and go to hell where he belongs, before I kick your ass for Allison's sake." Stiles said in a harsh voice that had the other man look at the teen in shock. As the teen and the older woman walk out his front door, Chris stares at his wedding ring that Stiles left spinning on the dining room table.

**XXXXXXXXX**

As soon as he woke the next morning, Stiles called Cora and left a message on her voice mail. He told her he understood that she was part of a new Pack but that she was also still part of the Hale pack and as such her attendance at that evenings Pack meeting was considered mandatory. It was kind of a chicken move but Cora kinda scared him and he was tired of opening portals and dragging people through when airplanes, trains, and busses worked just fine for most people.

Then he called Derek, who was decidedly not a morning person, and told him he needed to get Peter out of Eichen House for the next several days through the Blue Moon. When Derek stopped growling long enough, okay yeah technically he didn't really stop growling it was more the volume lowered slightly. He said, "I hate to do this dude but you do owe me. We need him Derek, and he needs to be there on the blue Moon and if I need to stick a collar on him or something I will but he needs to be gotten out of Eichen. If you need me to shatter their mountain ash and mistletoe I will, but you are the one who has to get him out."

After a couple more minutes Stiles agreed to meet the werewolf at the asylum at three that afternoon as backup.

He then got dressed a little more casually as laying wards sounded like a messy business and he knew getting the root cellar done was definitely going to be a little messy. He went down to the kitchen and made another batch of the Super Booster, making sure to follow the recipe carefully. Although Mary had said they would need gallons of the stuff, Stiles was careful not to drink more than three of the Mason jars of the stuff a day.

While the green liquid was heating he made himself a breakfast burrito and left a message on his fathers voice mail reminding him about the meeting tonight and that he and Parrish were both supposed to come. He then called and did the same to Mellissa McCall's voice mail. All three were still at work but at least he felt reassured that he had done all he could to make sure all of the people who needed to be there would be there.

With two jars of the liquid wrapped in towels in his backpack and the burrito in the other hand Stiles made sure everything was turned off and headed out the door. He pulled up to Mary's house and the woman who was waiting outside of the house for the teen. The older woman climbed into the jeep with a smile and said, "I found an easier way to at least lay the wards in the foundations of the houses. She took a cloth bag out of her purse and opened it to show Stiles the contents. Metal discs about the size of a coin with a sigil etched into the surface on both sides.

"We drop these in the foundation or secure them with nails, or glue or whatever."

"What about the border ward lines?" Stiles asked as he examined one of the coins.

"I had the crew lay the bricks in the borderlines less than ¼ in. apart. Touch one while doing the spell to set the wards and it will work like a row of dominoes." she said as he pulled up to the foundation of the Hale House. The two climbed out of the truck and carried the bag of coins to the bare bones of the Hale House.

They started placing the coins in prearranged locations around the site. It should have only taken fifteen minutes to set the wards and another few seconds to power them up. However Mary saw Stiles drawing sigils into the areas around the coins. She studied what she was doing and said, "Care to explain why you're making the house, occupants, and property immune to fire of any kind. Especially when you went to all the trouble of having Mr. Sands create that safe room down in the basement?"

"I have my reasons." Stiles said distractedly.

"Have anything to do with a certain former Alpha with sour apple green eyes to go with his equally sour disposition about nearly everything?"

"He doesn't…" he started to say as he looked over at her smirking face. His mouth snapped shut and he said nothing else to the other woman. No matter how she coaxed until he was ready to leave.

Then they backtracked to the border of the former line of the yard. They charged the ward line, then walked it to make sure there were no breaks in the magical barrier. Then they repeated the process with the rest of the ward lines around the Hale property line. Around the inside of the preserve, which Stiles specifically put in an extra ward against any and all hunters. The Preserve was supposed to protect the animals so keeping out werewolf hunters as well could be easily rolled in with this ward.

Then they went to the Sister House which Stiles advised Mary finally back to talking to her that they should come up with a better name than the Sister House. Then finally went to the ward line around the Nemeton. Before Mary could empower it though Stiles went to the stump that had once been the mighty tree and told the older woman, "You know the last time this tree and I had a heart-to-heart it tried to eat me. Hopefully this time will go better." With that Stiles placed his hand on top of the stump.

Images flashed through his mind like a set of dozens of different little images spliced together disjointedly. Some of them he recognized, ones of Jennifer Blake and Kali's pack slaughtered here. The sacrifices that the Darach had made, the mock sacrifices he and his friends had made, Scott dying to draw out the Benefactor. The deaths at Hale house, the deaths of the arsonists, the assassinations for the death list. The Nogitsune, the Oni, the hospital…Stiles felt as if his head would explode. Then a calm, cool presence eased into his mind.

A voice, no a feeling said, "Too much…no outlet.." Stiles pushed back gently the image of what he wanted the root cellar to look like. Again he caused a soft and gentle rain to fall, making the movement and creaking under them easier. There was no ominous cracking or creaking. The damage done by the blood moon was repaired. Walls laid bare by the drought were recovered with roots and earth. The entrance moved to the south of the tree, that was where the Nemeton seemed to want it and Stiles saw no reason to protest.

The vines had wrapped around his hand and like before he felt something pierce his hand like dozens of tiny pin pricks. A sudden fear came to his head, and before he could even put a name to the fear the Nemeton put the image of him as the Nogitsune but then the image of the firefly trapped in the box with the triskele on top. Then it showed the image of that box sealed closed, no separation between lid and box.

Stiles smiled gratefully and then he showed the Nemeton what he had in mind and explained to the Nemeton as best he could what effect it would have on the tree. It would be able to grow again. Suddenly images flash bombed his head again and he was trying to keep up but could only tell that they were of happier times. The Hale family seemed to figure prominently in the images. Stiles felt the Nemeton continue to move and then the teen put the image of the ward line so the old tree would understand that it would have a few extra layers of protection.

When the sounds of the root cellar rebuilding itself were finally quiet, the Nemeton withdrew the vines from the young mans hand and they receded back into the tree. Stiles walked a little weak-kneed over to Mary. His mentor was smiling at him with a bemused expression as she handed him one of the Mason jars of Super Booster and said, "I think it really kind of likes you and that is definitely going to affect your style, pun definitely intended."

Stiles took several deep swallows of the glowing green liquid before asking, "What are you talking about?" his brows knit together in confusion.

Mary just shook her head once and said, "Better to show you." She took out her phone and lifting it took a couple of pictures of Stiles. Then handed the phone to him after he had lowered the jar to the ground.

He looked at the phone for several seconds before the image finally registered as actually being him, he shrieked. The image clearly showed several layers of leaves growing out of his head. Green, red, gold, orange, and yes some brown all poking through his own longish, oak brown hair.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek's raised eyebrow was the only reaction to Stiles altered appearance when he and Mary arrived a few minutes after three at Eichen House. The fact the teen glowered threateningly at him as soon as he stepped out of the Jeep might have had something to do with his reserve. But Stiles doubted it.

As he walked over to join Derek at his Camaro, the ring tone "I'm a bitch" came up on Stiles cell phone. He bobbled it for a minute but managed to catch the thing before it hit the round. He clicked the answer button, but before he could say anything, Cora came on the line. The language she used when she greeted Stiles was colorful and less then complimentary and as soon as she had wound down Stiles got right to the point. "So you'll be here for the meeting?"

"Yes, I'll be there for the meeting," she responded in a biting tone. Hearing her voice Derek's eyebrows shot almost to his hairline.

"You need anyone to pick you up from the airport?" asked the teen easily.

"No, they have a commuter flight from San Jose to Beacon Hills I'm going to catch that, but I will need a ride from the Beacon Hills airport about six thirty."

"I'll have Jackson pick you up," Stiles said thoughtfully as he scratched his head thoughtfully, "he's probably a lot less jet-lagged than Issac plus he doesn't have a grudge against you for getting him tossed out of the loft."

A squeak was followed by, "He knows about that? Wait how do you know about that?"

"We will be having a discussion about manipulating people later for now get your ass on the plane Cora. They're about to call boarding and Cora if you accidentally or on purpose miss the flight. It won't matter you'll still make the meeting." he clicked the phone shut and stared at Derek with a glare. "If you let her manipulate you again you and I will be discussing it and you'll like that even less than she does."

He tilted his head at the werewolf and gave a smirk as he said, "Just when I thought you couldn't get any more expressive with those eyebrows." Without another word he marched up to the intercom system and punched the button ignoring for the moment the hurried steps of Derek catching up.

Stiles merely leaned against a nearby wall as once again there were mysterious pops and mini explosions all over the asylum. As Derek carried on a heated "conversation" with the administrator and several doctors over the viability and prudence of checking out Peter Hale for any reason.

The "conversation" lasted for over an hour, during which time Stiles called Jackson and asked him to pick Cora up from the airport.

Jackson's response was, "So what are you the Alpha now Stiles?"

"Nope, just the boss for now, don't worry, I have someone else in mind, for the Alpha." the younger teen replied.

Then he called the Sheriff, Argent, Ms McCall, Parrish and Lydia just to double check they were all coming. Lydia was kind enough to ask if there was anything she should bring. "If you can bring along some pots, pans, cooking utensils that sort of thing. I'd really appreciate it." Stiles asked as he watched Derek grasping the cuff of the left sleeve of his jacket with, yep that was a clawed hand. "Gotta go divert disaster." Before hanging up and heading over to the conference table.

"Gentlemen and ladies, basically you're looking for a legal out, to avoid future malpractice or lawsuits. Fine sign him out AMA, I'm sure the same thing applies to psychiatric patients as medical ones. As I recall its just a few sheets of paper. So go get it, Mr. Hale here will sign it, Peter can gather his things, you will not medicate him before he leaves and we can get out of here, and go shopping for food for the meeting at the loft tonight." Stiles said. "Right?"

When the group of professionals started working to get the appropriate paperwork in order. Stiles called Mary's cell phone and asked her advice on what they could fix that would satisfy the crowd they were expecting at the loft.

She suggested, "Something easy, how about spaghetti, salad and garlic bread."

"Great, only lets do cheesy instead of garlic, more protein less bad breath." the teen agreed. "And a dessert….cheesecake. I'll pick up my pan when we have Ethan follow us. Can you make a list?"

After she had agreed easily, he called Ethan to tell them they would be coming by in about an hour and a half hopefully. Then he asked if he could look for a spring-form pan He was pleasantly surprised to learn the twin knew what that was. When he suggested that the older werewolf might want to check the gas on his motorbike.

Ethan said sadly, "Can't left it with the gang, they probably trashed it or sold it by now."

"Please as if I would do that to you, look outside," Stiles said patiently, the yelling he heard from the line had him laughing even as he pulled the phone away from his ear. "See you in a bit." he said with a somewhat cheesy grin.

When Peter finally came through the double doors that led into the residence area he took one look at Stiles hair smirked and simply said, "Bold fashion statement Stiles, I applaud your courage."

Stiles merely smirked and indicated the non-slip socks the other man was wearing without a word. Peter snorted in a self-deprecating way. Derek had thoughtfully brought his uncle a change of clothes, including actual shoes. The older man stepped into the bathroom in the lobby and re-emerged a few minutes later and walked out with his nephew and the teenager.

"Meet you at the loft. Got to go pick up a few things first." Stiles said absently as he joined Mary at his Jeep.

"Stiles you know that kitchen barely functions, with a hot plate, a sink, and a mini fridge." Derek advised.

"I'll take care of it," Stiles said as he climbed in the Jeep and finished off the jar of Super Booster in one go.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The leaves were still there later that afternoon, as they arrived at the loft. Ethan was being a little creepy about touching and tugging on them to make sure that they were real and for the time being rather painfully attached. Stiles was more than grateful to find Lydia's sporty little silver car already parked outside the industrial looking building.

As Stiles, Mary, and Ethan climbed out of his Jeep, the Spark was already heading over and thanking the titian haired Banshee. She looked at him and screeched, "Stiles, what have you done with your hair?" Then she saw Ethan and pulled the werewolf to her in a surprisingly warm hug.

The werewolf helped Lydia gather up what looked like a kitchen full of every kind of pot, pan, or utensil you would need. While Stiles and Mary carried up several rather large canvas bags of groceries. When they actually reached the loft it was to discover that not only had Peter and Derek not arrived but that the fuse had short circuited and nothing in the kitchen worked.

Stiles walked back out to where Derek had been working previously on the floor plan. Digging through the pile of papers, Stiles found the diagram of the improvements at least to the loft, including an improved wiring schematic. "Gonna need your help Mary?"

"I thought you'd never ask, I was starting to get worried about you using so much power all on your own, cub." Bringing everything including Lydia and Ethan back to the doorway. The pair of spell casters stared at the diagrams and then Mary put her hand on Stiles shoulder. The pair closed their eyes and a rumbling began. The loft area expanded, the wall area under it also moved out. Then there was a grating noise like fingernails on a chalkboard.

A wall formed near the entry door and then another wall extended from it back to the little area that used to hold the toilet they laughingly had called a bathroom. The main floor expanded in the opposite direction and windows with glass blocks formed before a wall came up between them and the glass wall. Lydia was speechless as things continued to happen around them and glanced up to find Ethan's jaw had dropped.

Dust was beginning to fall here and there, as well as a little debris. Then furniture began appearing and disappearing, Derek's bed vanished and a sitting area with a flat screen TV appeared, Lydia watched as Peter's couch was joined by bookcases, and a comfortable chair, side tables and reading lamps. Their conference table stayed in place but now surrounded by stools and what her mother called Captains chairs.

Then Stiles reached out and grabbed the doorway and she saw the blood smeared on the metal and his arm, and she finally noticed his nose bleeding. Then she heard the sounds of louder screeching and rumbling from further away. She tried to find something to staunch the flow of blood from Stiles nose, when Ethan gave her a bandana from his pocket.

The boy who'd had a crush on her for years didn't even flinch as she worked to stop the nosebleed but then since he didn't even seem to know he had a nosebleed, she realized she wasn't surprised, a bit horrified and definitely worried though. She had no idea how long the noises and shaking of the building continued. Light fixtures glowed that hadn't been there before, windows dirty since before Derek ha acquired the space were suddenly sparkling.

The older woman slid to a sitting position on the floor and Stiles knees buckled as his eyes rolled back in his head. Ethan reached for the Spark but Derek was suddenly there and lowered the younger man carefully to the floor. Peter was trying to help the older woman who honestly looked a little grey faced, but as he patted her face, very gently, he noticed the gray was actually dust. Then they both saw the loft.

Stiles suddenly drew a deep gasping breath and sat up abruptly, nearly smacking heads with both Ethan and Derek. He yanked his backpack closer and pulled out a Mason jar of all too familiar glowing green liquid and took several gulps of the liquid before shoving it toward Lydia, who didn't even ask. She moved to try and get Mary roused enough from her current stupor to drink the fluid.

Stiles gave the older werewolves what looked for all the world like a Stilesian version of drunk face and said, "So what do you think, did we get it right?"

Derek helped the teen up off the floor and as he walked into the loft and looked around at the changes. "Your room is upstairs," Stiles said, "and wait until you see the kitchen."

"And where is my room Stiles?" asked Peter in a slightly mocking tone.

"Still in the same place for the most part," Stiles replied in a little more sober tone. "Well don't just stand there guys we need to get started cooking." normal. He said and the wolves and Banshee were totally non-plused as it was obvious the boy was just going to go along as if everything was perfectly fine. Leaning over he touched the older woman on the shoulder drawing her attention to him as he asked gently, "Are you okay Mary?"

She drew a deep breath as if she were just filling her lungs with air was a great gift she wanted to savor. Lydia noticed and it made her even more concerned with what had just happened. "Yes, actually I'm pretty good, cub. Now am I helping you cook?"

"No actually I need you to check on something else and tell me what you think of it." Stiles said as he helped her stand. Without a hint of a wobble both of them went to the section of wall where Stiles had leaned his head, while trying to work on the design for the loft.

Stiles took Mary's hand and placed it on the wall and let her stand there for a moment. Mary's brow furrowed and she said thoughtfully, "Give me a few minutes, definitely something here, but it's new to me." Stiles merely nodded his head and had the others except for Peter and Derek follow him into the kitchen. He supervised putting away the pots, pans, and utensils.

Lydia took a look in the new very bare cabinets and said, There aren't even any plates or silverware or anything. I'm going to borrow Ethan for a bit. We're not going to have our first meal in the new improved loft on paper plates."

"Good," Ethan said, "cause we don't even have those." With that the pair walked arm in arm out of the loft. Stiles meanwhile began browning the meat. He managed to find a salt shaker to add to the boiling water for the noodles. When he had those pots boiling he began putting together a salad to go with the spaghetti.

When the salad was put together, Stiles turned back to the stove to sir the meat and check the water. The meat was beginning to brown nicely but he water was still not boiling. So he turned back to the center island only to run into Derek literally. "Oh my gawd," he yelped as Derek steadied him.

The werewolf didn't apologize instead he held onto the Spark's elbows and said, "I think we need to talk, don't you."

"This again, I told you we would talk after everyone gets here and after dinner." Stiles said as he tried to duck around the werewolf, without success.

"Not about your plan Stiles," Derek said as he pulled the teenager back around in front of him.

The magic user looked startled as he said, "Oh, what about then?" he asked curiously.

"Alright let's discuss the fact that you seem not all that concerned about your own health and the fact that you nearly died saving me and that you had a nosebleed and nearly passed out doing this." The former Alpha said indicating the kitchen and apartment at large with a sweep of his arm.

"Not to mention the fact that Mary and you have all these plans going on with Hale house and the Sister House, now you've changed the loft to our designs and I hear you talking about moving the Nemeton and improving the root cellar. Laying wards around the Preserve and the Houses and I overheard one of the contractors mention that you…or rather Mary has already paid everything in full." Derek said seriously. "Now she's in the other room having a discussion with a wall."

Stiles moved away from the other man to quickly stir the meat before it burned. He didn't answer the werewolf, until he had added the pasta to the now boiling water and put the salad in the refrigerator to keep cool. He collected his thoughts as he preheated the oven.

He finally sighed tiredly and asked, "I'm sorry exactly what are you trying to ask me, Derek?"

"What I'm trying to ask is why does it seem like the two of you are trying to get your affairs in order? Why are you going out of your way to protect and save as many of the pack members as you can, no matter what you have to do? You have always been self-sacrificing to the extreme to protect the Pack, but you've never been suicidal before?" Derek seemed a little startled for having been so bold. For an instant he looked as if he might take it back, but then his resolve firmed and he just stood there waiting for the younger man to answer.

Stiles was glad they had picked a simple meal that he could cook without much attention. He began to slice the bread and after he had buttered it, he slid the bread into the preheated oven before looking at the werewolf. He then lifted his hand and snapped his fingers and a barrier of sparkles went up around the pair.

"Ok I will tell _you_ this because, well just because. Sparks are just that, a flash in the pan so to speak. Without a wick…no that won't make sense. They need an anchor, someone to draw from and support them or they will burn up, burn out, what ever term you want to use." he said as he continued to prepare dinner.

The problem is and this is also the reason that Sparks are so rare, is they're descended from the fae. Elves if you will. So they need to be bound or mated to earthbound supernatural's. The only supernatural's that are earthbound anymore are druids, and after the darach, I think you can understand my trust issues about that and the other choice is werewolves, preferably Alphas. Cause they're the only ones who have enough power. And it has to be a love match because well descended from elves, like I said. Elves love with all they are, so if it doesn't work they usually start to fade."

"Mary found her mate and yeah Derek that's what we're talking about here." said the Spark with a biting tone to his voice as he checked the pasta to see if it was al dente'. "She thought they were in love. Apparently, at least what we think happened, either through magic or chemically induced, he decided he wanted someone younger and threatened to tear her limb from limb. She believed him."

Stiles did his best to stay away from Derek in the confines of his shield while he drained the pasta. Then pulled out the toasted bread, placed it on the island and sprinkled a generous topping of cheese on top of the still hot bread. "The one I recognized as my mate didn't feel the same. He threatened to rip out my throat with his teeth, and that was just one of the first threats. So I also took him at his word and I have also moved on."

"I'll find a mate or I won't but we are going to do this and things will work out for the best." He said and making a complicated gesture with both hands he dropped the shield he had erected just as Lydia and Ethan returned with Ethan carrying a box of dishes and Lydia carrying a box of actual silver flatware. "Now that we have discussed this , let's eat!" Stiles half shouted still mindful of sensitive werewolf ears."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek and even Mary were staring at Stiles because everyone else seemed to arrive within five minutes of his announcing dinner was done. The Sheriff, Parrish and Mellissa McCall arrived all in a group as the law enforcement duo had picked up the nurse on their way to the loft.

To say that Lydia was shocked to see Jackson and Cora walk in together would be an understatement but she had really moved on so she gave the former lacrosse captain a hug to equal the one she gave to the younger Hale. Plates heaped with food were handed out to the entire group as Derek continued to stare at the younger Spark with an indecipherable expression on his face. Well indecipherable Stiles anyway. Cora recognized the former Alpha's micro-expressions of guilt and pain.

She sat close to her brother and nudged him occasionally, he would look at her and give a small smile. Then she would turn to Jackson who surprisingly sat next to her and the pair would continue talking over subjects they had discussed in his car as they drove back from the airport.

Issac who still felt close to the former hunter sat next to Chris Argent and talked about various gossip among the European hunters including reports of strange animal-like attacks on humans, that weren't werewolves, mainly in England. Lydia and Parrish were talking in low tones to each other and Ethan who had strangely been introduced to Jackson by Lydia and Cora as Danny's boyfriend was being pulled into the conversation between the former kanima and young brunette.

Melissa and the Sheriff were discussing the condition of the victims of the traffic jam. There were the sufferers of heat stroke but also the crash victims from the original cause of the jam. Melissa was happy to report that the last of the accident victims had been released earlier that day and the heat stroke sufferers had been released within twenty-four hour after receiving fluids.

Stiles and Mary were surprisingly quiet. Mary did inform the younger Spark that she thought the loft was being haunted. The space behind the wall was the anchor spot or personal space of the ghost in question. They both agreed the specter could be discussed and handled after the Blue Moon and all it entailed.

After the food was eaten, leftovers were stored and dishes were done. Stiles went into the kitchen and returned with slices of cheesecake, which were handed out including to the Sheriff. Who instantly looked suspiciously at his son, before savoring every bite of the rich dessert. .

Mary only ate about half of the creamy dessert before setting on the side table next to her and cleared her throat, "I'm sure you're wondering why we've asked you all here and in some cases…demanded your presence." she said in a surprisingly light tone.

There were mumbles of assent from a few, curious expressions from others, Cora looked a little perturbed while Derek continued to stare at the boy with the same expression he'd had since they'd both come out of the kitchen. "Stiles has had a vision. It's not good."

"When is it ever?" Jackson snarked, then ducked as both Cora and Lydia smacked him in he arms. Stiles smiled slightly but it didn't seem to reach his eyes.

Stiles father looked at his son seriously as he asked, "Stiles, is this a whiskey talk?"

The teen looked at his father with an oddly cold expression on his face as he replied, "No dad, this is a stone, cold, sober talk." He placed his own untouched cheesecake beside Mary's on the end table and sat forward slightly as he continued.

"A while ago, I had a vision. Werewolves, a pack of them, but not regular wolves. If you went by the eyes there were several alphas and the rest were blue eyes. No newbies." Stiles said. Staring at each of the dinner guests intently, several of them felt as if the teen was trying to impart his intense concern on each of them mentally.

"So what," said Cora dismissively, "we took on an entire Alpha pack and won. No offense," she said to Ethan, "How bad could it be?" There were a couple of chuckles from Jackson and Issac.

Try a pack of between forty and fifty, at least eight to ten Alphas and did I mention that they seem to be zombies?" There was now nervous tittering from Cora and Lydia until they saw Stiles perfectly deadpan face.

"As in shuffling along slowly, trying to eat peoples brains?" Parrish offered, not laughing. The Sheriff's son had proven himself to the deputy, he knew the younger man wouldn't have brought them all here just to pull a prank.

"No as in flesh falling off of them, rotting away while they leave entire towns of dead and undead behind them on their way here." Stiles said in a deadly serious tone." He didn't realize that his eyes had changed to the black fiery embers as he continued to speak. They are coming in search of the Reaper, but they are trying to build an even bigger army as they come."

Chris who had been leaning forward on the couch to stare at Stiles eyes, said sharply, "The Reaper, they said that?" he asked as his glance skated to Lydia before going back to the teen sitting in the arm chair. Stiles merely gave a sharp nod to the hunter.

"What's a Reaper?" the Sheriff asked his son thoughtfully.

Lydia answered his question, "I am apparently, or will be soon." All eyes turned to Lydia and this time she wasn't thrilled being the center of attention but she continued to explain, "A Reaper, is basically the next evolution of a Banshee, we're like Valkyrie in that we gather the dead and send them on to the plane of existence they're supposed to go to next. Heaven, hell or other…"

"Including back here on earth." Peter concluded from where he sat in the reading chair, segregated from the others as he continued to enjoy the cheesecake.

"Yes which I think is what they have in mind," said Mary staring at Stiles.

"Which is why I have a plan," Stiles said with the slightest hint of his usual humor.

"So what?" Jackson asked snarkily, "Are you the boss now Stilinski?"

"Yeah, for the time being," Stiles said and his eyes finally started to fade back to their usual caramel color.

"Where's Scott, isn't he the Alpha now?" asked Cora irritably.

Mellissa looked sheepish as Stiles said with an even more frosty tone than before, "He's at a lacrosse camp in Nevada or something, along with Kira and Liam. The rest of his pack."

"Incommunicado," Peter added helpfully.

Cora continued irritably, trying to ignore her Uncle's presence as she growled at Stiles, "You're not even a werewolf, let alone an Alpha. Why should we listen to you?"

"Did you miss the part where there are forty or fifty of them. Oh no it must have been the part where about a fourth of them are Alphas." said Stiles as he rose slowly rose from the armchair. His eyes didn't change but the air in the Loft did. As it began to crackle with barely suppressed energy. "Ah let me guess you missed the part where they're all undead and picking up more members as they get closer, right?"

The teen closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, when he reopened them Mary was surprised they hadn't changed, "You're right I'm not a werewolf, neither are half of the people in this room in case you hadn't noticed. Nor am I an Alpha but then neither is anybody else in this room. But I do have a plan, and I do have someone else in mind for the role of Alpha, and no it is most definitely not Scott, anything else?"

Argent looked over at Peter, his old schoolmate. The former Alpha was smiling with contentment, as Chris asked, "Why are we here Stiles?"

The younger man grinned but it was a cold satisfied grin as he replied, "Shall we discuss what is going to happen on the Blue Moon in two days time?"

Stiles drew them over to the planning table. He pulled a few files out of his backpack, setting them on the table. Before taking on of the stools. He then drew a large sheet of sketch paper out of one of the files and unfolded it. On the sheet to one side was a birds eye view of the Nemeton. Arranged around it like spokes on a wheel, were half a dozen names, arranged around them were a half dozen more names of people sitting around the table.

On the other side of the sketch was a side view, showing the root cellar as well. Mellissa touched that side of the heavily reworked diagram. Her name was penciled into what appeared to be a female form sketched into the cellar next to two bodies laying on the floor of the root cellar. "Mary and I will be in the root cellar, while the rest of you will be arranged outside around the base of the tree." Stiles explained the diagrams to those arranged around the table.

Then Issac drew heir attention to the names on the inner circle of the birds eye diagram. "Stiles why are Allison, Boyd, Erica…God everyone we've lost on this diagram?" Issac asked with more sadness than heat.

"Because we're going to bring them back." Stiles answered matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean bring them back?" the Sheriff asked his son, now looking at Stiles rather than the diagram.

"Exactly, what you think I mean," the teen replied looking up from the table to those assembled around it.

"Stiles," said Chris with a longing glance at the diagram, "You're just a human. You can't…" he didn't seem to be able to say what they were talking about. As if the mere mention of it and then to have the possibility taken away might break the man.

"Normally," the teen gave an odd little shrug, before continuing, " but during a Blue Moon. A pair of powerful magic users, with an overcharged Nemeton, and a pack to help…"

"A pack without an Alpha?" Cora reminded cynically.

"For this exercise it's better that Scott's not here," Stiles said, as he stepped back to look around the table.

"How is that better?" Ethan asked carefully, reaching out to trace is own name and then his brother's name and then Danny's.

"Any body not notice that none of this group actually belongs to Scott's Pack, Lydia asked as she looked around at those assembled. "Well except Ms. McCall of course.

"That's my girl," Peter said quietly but no less proudly. Lydia rolled her eyes but even Stiles noted the blush and small smile the redhead had on her face.

"Anyway, each of our…Pack members," Stiles said indicating the inner circle on the birds eye diagram, "will have two living representatives." He indicated the outer circle of names. "Stand-ins if you will, one will hold a personal item from the Pack member, the other will hold some genetic material from that member."

"Stiles," Parrish said looking at the teen seriously, "What's to keep these people…"

"Pack members," Stiles corrected quickly.

"From becoming like the things you described that are coming this way?" the deputy asked, "I don't know what you would call them, zombie wolves?"

"There's a difference between zombies and resurrecting someone." Mary offered by way of explanation.

"Yeah," said Jackson in a disbelieving tone. "and if it's so easy, why aren't there more people back from the dead?"

Stiles huffed a world weary sigh as he replied, "I never said it would be easy."

He then pointed to the diagram and began to go around explaining where everyone would be and what their jobs would be. "Jackson, we'll start with you." he pulled a pouch out of his backpack. It looked like a small shaving kit and as Stiles unzipped it he looked up from it to his father and Parrish and said, "No questions or comments, you're Pack now. We're like Vegas," he added with a smirk.

"What happens in the Pack, stays in the Pack," the teens all echoed around the table.

Then several plastic vials and items spilled out on the table as he carefully dumped out the contents of the kit. He then rifled through the items on the table and pulled out four items. One tube held what appeared to be a claw, a rather large silver hoop earring, a wrist watch, and a piece of skin in one of the tubes.

He handed the earring and the tube with the piece of skin in it. The former lacrosse captain said, "Gee thanks Stilinski."

"Shut up," said Stiles without heat. "The skin is Danny's, the earring is Erica's. You'll be standing up for Erica's lover and Danny's family."

"Lover?" Lydia asked with only a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Stiles shrugged as he picked up the wristwatch and a vial of blood marked with an A, and handed it to Ethan. "They kissed when he was the kanima. Ethan the watch was Danny's, you'll be standing in as his lover of course, and the blood is Aiden's. You'll need to give Lydia your locket temporarily on the day of the Blue Moon."

"Lydia, you'll be standing up as Aiden's lover of course," he said as he rifled through the items on the table again. "Thus the locket." He said handing her a leather bracelet.

"Lydia if Kira were here I'd have her do it I'd do it myself but I can't be in two places at once. You were one of the first to accept Malia as a member of our Pack. I need you to stand in for her intimate, please." the pairs eyes met and a sheen of tears covered the redhead's eyes as she nodded her head mutely and accepted the vial.

"Cora," he said, looking at the younger Hale. "You never met her but Malia was your cousin." He handed her a slightly larger vial of what appeared to be a piece of someone's scalp if the hairs were any indication. "You will be standing in as her family. I also know that you and Boyd were never actually lovers but once he had stopped grieving for Erica… " he said as he handed her Boyd's school I.D. She didn't look at the picture on the I.D. card, only rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger. She gave Stiles a sharp nod of assent.

Stiles looked at Argent and handed him several hairs in a small vial and the piece of cloth with blood on it. "You saved Boyd and Erica from your own father. I figure that's something a friend or family would do, definitely a Pack thing to do. So you'll stand in for Boyd's family. You'll also be Allison's family of course," he said holding out the vial with the few hairs in it.

"Issac," Stiles said calling the boy over as he was one of the farthest away. He held out the vial with the claw in it and the very familiar necklace. "The claw is Erica's, you were like a brother to her. You'll be her family and Allison's intimate, and that should take care of all of our stand-in's."

"Not quite," Derek said to the younger man. The werewolf hoped he was the only one who noticed the Spark's minor flinch when the former Alpha spoke. Stiles looked over at the older man expectantly, posture already slightly hunched in a defensive position. "Why is Braeden not here Stiles?"

The Spark explained easily and gently, "You know why Derek. Because whatever the lamia did with her, we couldn't find any remains or even any of her personal effects."

"Okay then why aren't I among the stand-ins? Malia was my cousin too, and I was Erica and Boyd's Alpha." he said and Stiles figured he was the only one who heard the slight whine in the werewolf's tone.

"Because the spell we're going to be using is long, complicated and very powerful. It's going to be like sending up a beacon to any and all supernatural creatures and magic users. No pun intended." he said matter-of-factly, "Mary and I have set up wards around the two houses on the Preserve, around the Preserve itself and around the Nemeton. Tomorrow we'll set them up around the Loft because it's the only place right now set up to house everyone."

"Stiles," said Peter a little defensively, "We barely had room when there were four of us living here, but a dozen or more."

"Trust me Creeper Wolf, there's more than enough room now. You guys can go explore and claim rooms later. Right now let's just finish this okay?" Stiles said cryptically, before he continued, "As I was saying we've set wards but we still might need a last line of defense. You Derek, Peter, Parrish and Dad will be our bodyguards so to speak and we'll put you at the compass points."

He then looked into one of the other files and started writing a little note on one of the sheets, while muttering to himself, "T-shirts and sweat shorts for everyone." Mary nudged him gently and he looked up realizing everyone was still watching him.

Shaking his head, Stiles looked back down at his notes and said, "Mama McCall we'll need your medical expertise again. Matter of fact if I didn't think it might somehow interfere with the magic I'd say go ahead and hook us up to an I.V. before we even get started. Let's just say, it'll be like after the lamia, only ten times worse, for both of us at the same time." Stiles said indicating both Mary and himself.

"We'll be in the root cellar because I have a feeling this might make the Nemeton a lot happier than usual. We'll probably also be comatose for a few days at least. Mute for a week at least, blind and deaf as well. Hopefully, we should be fully recovered before the Zombie Wolves get here." Stiles said absently, as he continued to study his notes.

"Don't forget the Rosetta Stone," Lydia reminded with a worried smile.

Stiles smiled back at her sweetly, before saying, "We'll probably talk more specifics as we get closer to the date. Does everybody get the general idea here though?"

There were a few nods, mumbles of assent, and even a few blank stares. As he added, "Okay, good. Any questions?"

Into the cacophony of sound that erupted, Stiles sighed and said in a resigned tone to Mary, "Yep, should have known it wouldn't be that easy."

**A/N/N~ If you are trying to get a mental image of the Night Breed, think something along the lines of Anubis' Army in Scorpion King, except not quite that many, and no costumes to speak of. ~A**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N~ Please remember this is Sterek, which means slash. If you don't like the idea of men together in a loving relationship, which this will be, Don't read. Scenes of intense emotion and battle I don't think I do well and yet I keep doing them. There is a love scene, here no actual intercourse, but be warned. Please let me know what you think. ~A**

**A/N/N~ . One technical warning for my writing for this chapter, the POV is going to jump around a bit and the characters may be a bit OOC, I'm going to put that down to the characters beginning to mature beyond the canon. Also please note, the T-rating also applies to foul language. Which there definitely is. Otherwise please read, enjoy and review. Also thank you to everyone on the positive feedback on this story. ~A**

**Teen Wolf 18**

After the dinner and the Pack meeting Stiles and Mary were working on setting wards around the perimeter of the Loft. Especially after Stiles told Mary how many times their enemies had broken into the Loft and how the party group had their rave interrupted by Derek, luckily before the Oni attacked.

To keep the others occupied and out of their way while they were setting the wards, Stiles suggested the rest of the Pack check out the rest of the modifications the pair had made in their impromptu magical transformation. When the more mature and up until absentee members of the Pack seemed to think they wouldn't have a place in or around the Loft, Stiles set them straight.

"Pack is Pack. You may move on, you may become an Alpha of your own Pack someday, but you will always be part of this Pack." he waved them off to the door of the Loft, with the admonition, "Go pick your rooms, and no fighting over them. Like I said, plenty to go around."

"Oh and Mama McCall, down the stairs one floor to the right, first door on the right. I think you'll find something interesting, after you find your room. Dad, you, Parrish and Argent see what you think of the door on the left down there.

Before the teens could make a mad dash to the door, Stiles went into Derek's drafting desk and pulled out a cube of sticky notes and pens. He gave each individual a pen and a portion of the notes. "Claim your territory, any fighting and I'll let Mary handle it, well her and Mama McCall. Trust me, you don't want that. Make any requests you want for furniture, color scheme, whatever, we'll work it out. We may not be able to get to it before the Blue Moon, but after we recover, whatever you want within the spatial confines allowed. Rules of Tardis do not apply to closet space Lydia." The redhead gave a mock pout to the Spark as she flounced out leading the mass exodus to explore the redesigned industrial building.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek and Cora watched from the loft window, as the magical pair set up wards around the building. They noticed the duo seemed to be working their way in, and only seemed to be having problems finding objects to anchor the wards to.

"Since when can Stiles do magic," asked the younger Hale, "other than maybe lay a mountain ash ring, anyway?"

Derek shrugged, "Since a few weeks ago, I suppose." he replied absently as they watched both do a graceful movement almost like dancing outside of the fence that surrounded the building.

"You suppose?" she said sharply, "Why don't you know?"

"I wasn't here when it started," Derek said heavily.

Hearing the notes of guilt and embarrassment in her brothers voice and being the predator she was, Cora pounced, "What do you mean you weren't here? Where were you?"

"I was with Braeden," Derek said shortly.

"Ok, second time I've heard that name. Who the hell is Braeden?" Cora asked her temper flaring at her brother as he seemed to be shutting her out.

"She was a mercenary and my lover." he replied glancing over at his sister, hoping against hope she would drop the matter.

Cora did not grant his wish and coming closer said in a hostile tone, "Lover? Your mate is right down there," she said indicating where Stiles and Mary stood having a conversation. "Why do you need a lover?"

"Stiles isn't my mate," Derek denied too quickly.

Cora looked at her brother, her expression clearly offended, as she said, "Okay, first off trying to lie _to me_, is just ridiculous. I know when you're lying Derek, really. Secondly, lying to your mate is just wrong, and thirdly lying to yourself about this," she said indicating the young man downstairs again, "is just pathetic and dangerous."

"Don't worry though, there's always Malia. When he brings her back." Lydia said from the doorway where she stood with Jackson and Issac. "Or there's always Danny and Ethan."

"What are you talking about?" Derek growled through his suddenly extended fangs.

"Stiles is bi," Issac revealed with a hint of smugness at the shocked expression on the faces of the Hale siblings. His expression of distaste as he gazed at the pair was obvious. He turned and left an air of hurt and distrust wafting from the beta.

Jackson touched Lydia's arm and asked, "When did you guys figure it out?"

"Oh about the time Stiles kept Derek afloat for over two hours in the school pool." said the banshee softly.

"Gawd, I forgot about that." Jackson said guiltily and then something flashed in his eyes. "Shit he must really love you," he said with awe and anger in his voice.

"What are you talking about?" Cora asked trying to fit pieces together in her mind.

"Stiles, has been afraid of the water since he was eight." Jackson said a little more softly.

"What happened when he was eight?" Cora asked again, her brothers attention had drifted back to what was going on outside the window.

"He drowned," Jackson said baldly. Derek's attention shot to the beta sharply, as Cora gasped in shock.

"You mean he almost drowned," Derek corrected.

"No I mean he drowned," Jackson said angrily, "He was under the water for nine minutes. The life guard hadn't been paying attention. He was blue by the time they brought him up. They worked on him for over five minutes before they brought him back."

"What?" Derek said faintly, a look of horror on his face.

"What? Something else you don't know about Stiles? Shocking. Lydia said waspishly. "So which part was it that broke you Derek? Hmm? That he's bi? That he drowned, but still found the courage and strength to save your ass, or the fact that despite your obviously emotionally constipated state Stiles still loves you?"

When the older man can only stand there apparently in a shocked stupor. The banshee gives a huff of exasperation and turns and leaves the doorway to the loft. Jackson meanwhile walks over to Cora and offers his arm to the younger Hale. She takes it and the pair follow after the redhead.

The former Alpha went back to staring at the pair who had just finished establishing another protective barrier around the building. The ward is visible as it goes up and he feels the power as it sets itself in place. There is an actual change in pressure as it sets itself, the werewolf can actually feel his ears pop. Then the barrier disappears. When the ward is set, Mary walks back into the building.

Stiles continues setting protections, finding a rock as big as his hand the Sparks lips move as he uses the forefinger of his other hand to draw a symbol on the surface of the stone. He sets it down and steps back toward the building that houses the Loft and another ward sets itself in place.

Derek watches Stiles continue to work for several more minutes. As he works up the courage, before walking out of the Loft and downstairs to stand beside and slightly behind the teen.

The teen at first didn't even acknowledge the older mans presence as he continue to work the magic into various objects littered around the area. His focus allowed Derek to observe the other man as he worked. Stiles was intense, focused, driven, and if the werewolf was honest…a little terrifying.

For a moment he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to have that focus on him, if as he feared the teen came to hate him. The images that flashed in his mind were the Nogitsune, to the nth degree. Murder, mayhem, chaos and him forced to watch or participate. Not allowed to die, as this beautiful boy, became an evil, corrupted version of himself. Cold, sick debilitating weakness and fear filled the werewolf, a gasp of horror caught in his throat and turned into a whine of sorrow and loss.

When a familiar scent and touch, drew him back. "Derek, it's alright. You're with me, come on, come back. Everyone's okay, everything's fine." Blinking his eyes rapidly to rid himself of the dark images. Looking into the honey colored eyes of the other man began barely to melt the ice that had so quickly formed around his heart and soul. So different from the cold, dark bottomless ones he remembered from his own thoughts of a moment before.

The pale skin was flushed pink and a trickle of perspiration trailed down his temple from his magical work and the summer heat. Summer heat he himself couldn't feel yet, the simple touch on his arm not enough to dispel the chill that has sunk into his sinews and bones.

"I can't…I need…" Derek stuttered, his teeth almost chattering from the remembered cold of his own vision. Concern filled those amber eyes as he felt the younger man take his arms and Stiles hands moved up and down his arms as though feeling the cold in the werewolf was trying to warm him, from the outside. Derek knew though that he needed the inside warmed, most especially his heart.

"What do you need Derek?" Stiles asked, seriously considering calling for Mary. Wishing desperately that he had taken more of an interest in healing magic.

"You, just you," the former Alpha responded before taking the lips of the young man in a gentle kiss. Tasting the lips of Stiles, the honeyed sweetness making him moan and that sound apparently startling a gasp out of Stiles. The werewolf took advantage, inhaling the breath of his mate. His wolf joyfully begging for more, Derek stroked his tongue inside the boy's mouth as his arms pulled Stiles closer.

One hand going to the younger mans hip the other wrapping around his torso pulling Stiles flush to Derek's chest. As the kiss deepened, Stiles began to relax and join, pulling on Derek's arms trying to get closer to the werewolf. His eyes had fluttered closed. Then the hands slid up the arms, one wrapping around Derek's shoulders while the other crept into the werewolf's dark silky hair.

When air became an issue, Derek broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against Stiles, as he looked into the amber colored eyes of his mate. Derek gasping said desperately, as though afraid he wouldn't get the words out said, "You, only you, I only need you."

Stiles smiled and Derek saw a sheen of tears in his eyes as he whispered hoarsely, "What took you so long, you doofus?" Derek laughed before he kissed the Spark even more passionately and desperately. The icy fear melting from is heart completely. Then he felt Stiles hands move again, the one in his hair slid down to the back of his neck and the one around his shoulders, the hand slid down his chest to rest over his heart.

Pressure began to build in his chest and in his head but he didn't care, his wolf didn't care either, then they both heard a rumble from Derek that made Stiles pull back and ask happily, "Are you purring?"

"Werewolves don't purr, he denied with a little growl and then nuzzled into Stiles neck, where the noise promptly began again.

Stiles did not giggle, he really didn't. "So can I ask, without you going back to where ever that bad place was. What brought this all about?"

Derek gave slight whine and the purring (that's what Stiles was calling it) stopped as he mumbled into the teens neck. "I just imagined my life without this, you in it."

"Bad place huh?" Stiles asked. His fingers creeping back up and stroking through Derek's hair again while the other hand reached around the taller man to pull him even closer if possible. His smile was a little winsome and Derek could only go back to leaning his forehead against the other mans a he replied, "The worst."

The sound of a throat clearing nearby was the only thing that stopped the pair from another intense make-out session. Stiles groaned and said softly, "Please tell me it's not Lydia."

Derek looked to the side manfully and then whispered, "It's Mary."

"Gawd, that might just be worse," Stiles whispered to the werewolf warningly.

"I heard that," Mary said with no real heat to her tone. Before adding, "So I take it you finished setting the wards?"

"Yeah, I want to add a couple of others. But it can wait till we recover from the Blue Moon. Plus there are a couple of components that I need to order from online, and they won't be here till after anyway." he said with a casual shrug.

Derek could feel rather than see the older woman come closer as he couldn't take his eyes off the still focused younger man. Now he could imagine that focus and intensity directed at him. Just like that he was gone again, only this time the sensation was a lot more pleasant. Then he felt a nudge from the side and looked down at the older woman.

A grin spread across the attractive face and she said, "It's about time, Alpha."

Stiles drew his face back around so that Derek was staring at him, "Holy Red Eyes!" he said with a whoop before drawing the werewolf over to where his Jeep was parked and making him look in the side view mirror at his own reflection. Importantly his glowing red eyes, Derek's chin dropped. He stared for several more seconds before turning to Stiles and asking, "How?"

"I don't know," Stiles said as he smiled at the older man. Then he frowned slightly as he said, "Unless…I initiated a magical claim. You felt pressure right?"

The werewolf nodded, remembering the sensations but not really concerned at the mild discomfort as he had been pursuing more enjoyable endeavors. "What does it…do?" He asked in confusion having never heard of such a thing. Only about werewolf claiming rituals.

"Don't worry this one isn't permanent," Stiles explained a little defensively, his smile dimming a bit at Derek's reaction. "Basically, this was a milder version of what werewolves do. The initial bond helps me know where you are in case of emergencies, like if you get hurt or lost." Stiles said as he slowly began to pull away from the werewolf, "It's the only one I can do with you that you don't have to give your consent."

"For Sparks or magic users there are two others, that are a little more intense, they depend on level of acceptance. Mate Bond and Soul Bond, it's kind of obvious you're not ready…" Stiles began. Only to have Derek move him where his back was against the side of his Jeep.

"I have been in denial of this since you had Scott do that terrible impersonation of a cat's mating call," his brows knit in serious contemplation and said, "or was it a cat dying?"

"Not funny," Stiles said trying to smack the older man only to find himself even more crowded against the side of the Jeep. "Hey wait, does that mean that you actually loved it when I called you Sour wolf?"

"No Stiles, it means I actually love you." he said intensely before saying in a mock offended air. "I find the name Sour wolf a bit speciest."

"Wow really?" Stiles said curiously, "I kind of thought it was appropriate. I fell for you in the back of my dad's police car…okay not exactly true. Pretty sure I had a crush from the moment I saw you. But love, love…when you actually came to me to hide you from my own dad. Even if you were trying to be all intimidating and threatening."

Derek raised his eyebrow and said, "Trying to be?" with a growl.

Stiles flushed, but Derek's senses told him it wasn't from embarrassment. The teen responded, "Derek I haven't really believed you would deliberately hurt me since you got shot with the wolves bane and we were in my Jeep headed to Deaton's. The whole rip my throat out with your teeth when you didn't look like you could rip your way out of a wet paper bag. Yeah, not really buying it anymore."

"Oh, I don't know," said Derek, deliberately lowering the register of his voice to a growl, "I find your throat extremely bitable." Then he lowered his head and licked the teen's neck with a slow swipe of his tongue, while a deep growl emanated from his throat. Stiles giggled, in a totally manful kind of way, while is body had a decidedly more obvious reaction to Derek's actions.

"Oh gawd," Stiles said in embarrassment, burying his face in the side of Derek's neck to hide the blush he could feel burning there.

"Sorry," said Derek in a decidedly unapologetic tone, as he wrapped his arms around the Spark protectively. Then he stiffened slightly and whispered more softly, "Stiles, when you told your dad about werewolves, he didn't happen to take appropriate action did he?"

"What do you mean by appropriate?" asked the teen asked sighing comfortably as his arousal eased.

"Wolves bane bullets, tear gas canisters, that sort of thing…" asked the older werewolf in a concerned tone.

"Of course as well as containers of mountain ash, mistletoe, a rowan ash baton…Why?" asked the teen finally raising his face to look into Derek's face.

"Because he's coming this way, he looks pissed and I just had the mental image of my pelt in his office." Derek said deadpan.

Stiles head whipped around so fast, he felt it crack into the werewolf's aristocratic nose with a slight crunch. Sure enough his dad was stalking towards them but the slight yelp that Derek gave quickly pulled his attention back to the Alpha. Derek had released him with one hand which was trying to stem the gush of blood from his nose.

"Aw, damn," said the teen as he tried to fish in his pockets for something to help with the blood. When his father shoved a handkerchief into his hands. "Thanks dad," the teen said gratefully as he pushed Derek's hand out of the way and pinched the bridge of the werewolves nose and shoved the end of the handkerchief into the nostrils to stop the bleeding.

When it was obvious that his nose was still broken, bleeding and not healing, Stiles voiced his confusion and concern, "Why aren't you healing? Is it too soon after you became an Alpha?" Stiles asked halfway into a panic attack.

Derek shook his head and he seemed to be deep in thought. Before he glanced at Stiles and his eyebrows went up as he said thickly, "You're an Alpha too."

"What? I'm not a werewolf?" Stiles denied in confusion.

"But you are an Alpha. I saw your eyes flash red when we were arguing." Derek explained his voice still distorted from his nosebleed.

"So did I," called Ethan who had come out with Mellissa and Peter.

"But I'm not a werewolf," Stiles repeated in an exasperated tone.

Peter ignored the human male and instead asked his nephew, "You haven't told him yet Derek?"

"I was trying to but we kept getting interrupted." the newly remade Alpha replied. He said, turning back to the younger man. Before he could say anything though the Spark pulled the kerchief away from Derek's nose.

Carefully he pulled the werewolves nose into place and sent a surge of magic into Derek's face to stop the bleeding and jumpstart the healing. "Sorry I can't really concentrate with that thing dangling from your face, it's too distracting,"

There were snickers and even the Sheriff had to cover his mouth, trying to maintain his anger without success, Ethan didn't bother to cover his mirth. Stiles ignored them as he asked, "Now what's Uncle Creeper talking about? What are you supposed to be trying to tell me?"

"I am," the werewolf began in a hesitant voice. The Spark hearing the nervousness in the older man's voice stroked a hand down his arm soothingly. "I'm almost certain that you're my mate." He said with more confidence.

Stiles looked at him seriously and then looked around to find Mary standing near the doorway to the building. A scowl slid across his face as he asked the older woman suspiciously, "Did you tell him?"

Everyone startled when a flash of anger matched with a furnace like wash of heat went over the area as she responded, "I did not cub, nor would I."

The young Spark's ire turned back to the Alpha as he asked, "So what, did you overhear us talking?" Stiles pulled away from the older man as he spoke.

Not really understanding the anger, Derek asked in confusion, "Overhear what?"

"Overhear us talking about mates," Stiles said sharply.

"I overheard the two of you talking about something about mates, but only that word and a few others that didn't make sense…and still don't for that matter." Derek said with consternation at the continued anger of his mate.

Stiles tilts his head slightly as though he were seriously trying to listen to his heartbeat, when that didn't work the younger man, shook his head, and muttered angrily, "I gotta go get some rest," he said heading to his Jeep and then walked back to the doorway of the building and said sheepishly to his mentor, "Sorry Mary." The woman pulled him close for a quick hug, before he nearly trotted to his Jeep. He pulled out of the parking lot with a spray of gravel.

Derek is nearly in shock and falls to his knees. Peter rushes to his nephews side and Cora suddenly charges out of the building yelling, "What happened?" The Alpha howls suddenly in agony, his inner wolf feels the rejection and wants to curl up on the ground in misery, he leans heavily into Peter as Cora kneels beside the pair.

When Ethan suggests, "Maybe you can calm him down and talk to him tomorrow."

Mary replies regretfully, "Tomorrow we are taking a potion to rest and purify ourselves. We'll be practically unconscious until the day of the ritual." She then turns to Melissa and asks, "Can you possibly take me home, I need to prepare the potion as soon as the sun goes down." Melissa agrees and the pair leave in her car.

The Sheriff kneels to look into the face of the young man who is obviously very deeply in love with his son. Tears fall from his still slightly bruised eyes as he watches the older and younger Hale try to comfort their pack mate. He gets the Alpha's attention by calling his name kindly.

When the green eyes look at him with tears in the lashes, he asked Derek gently, "Do you love him?" Cora starts to growl at the Sheriff and her uncle smacks her in the back of the head lightly to shut her up. Derek merely nods his head to far gone to speak. John Stilinski said, "Then you have my blessing and permission, but whatever Stiles says goes. Break his heart, I'll fill you so full of wolves bane…you'll melt into so much black goo."

All three werewolves flinched as the older man stood and walked back to his cruiser. Derek drew a deep breath with a very faint sprig of hope taking root in his heart.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mary goes to Stiles house later that evening to give him the purifying potion. She finds the teen pacing back and forth in his room. When he sees her he doesn't say anything exactly he just gives a growling roar before leaning against one of the walls of his room.

"Sit cub," Mary said indicating the side of the bed, the younger man looked extremely frustrated but came and sat down beside Mary.

"I can't believe I fell for this. I mean seriously I should have known better. He's never shown an interest in men before. It's always been cute or attractive females of course that's usually with psychopathic tendencies. Even if by some stretch of the imagination he was telling the truth, why would he lie to me about it."

"He didn't lie to you sweetie, he just didn't tell you, maybe he didn't know, not for sure." Mary said soothingly as she stroked his back gently.

Seeming not to hear her, Stiles said, "Why would he want me, why would anyone. No I think he overheard us and I think he's acting like he likes me so he can keep me alive. Cause he needs me well us really to get his pack back, he says paying no attention to the tears flowing down his cheeks.

"You know what the really gloriously pathetic thing is though?" he sobbed before continuing, "I did believe it and for just those few minutes I was so happy. Because I wanted it to be real, I wanted him to love me back." He said his head falling into her lap as he began crying in earnest.

She let him cry for several minutes, the flash of movement at the window she shouldn't have been able to see, but it was more a feeling than actually seeing. Some dark part of her wanted the werewolf to see what the boy was willing to do for the slow-witted wolf. "We could _not_ do the spell, not give the idiot his Pack back."

"No, I said we will and we will." he said clearly and sharply, before his expression crumbled again, "I just….I may not be able to…stay after that."

"Alright we'll talk about it tomorrow," she said taking his phone and putting an early alarm on it. "Remember take the potion when the alarm goes off." Stiles can only nod as he continues to cry and eventually he cried to sleep.

Still pretending not to notice Derek sitting in the window, Mary made her way downstairs and back to her own home. Derek waited for several more minutes before crawling in the bedroom window. He stood by the bed for several minutes and then stroked the back of her fingers along the slightly moist rasp of the skin on Stiles cheek. He lifted the back of those fingers and inhaled deeply, before licking the moisture off his fingers.

He carefully removed Stiles shoes and turned the boy in the bed, before covering him with the sheet. He checked the alarm on Stiles phone, to note it was for six a.m. Pulling the desk chair out he turned it to face the bed, deliberately ignoring the water bottle sitting on Stile's nightstand. As he quietly settled himself to watch over the boy.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles barely moved when the alarm went off, but a slight squeak had him sitting up in bed startled. His father stuck his head in the door and said, "Stiles, your alarm. Turn it off son, is that for the potion Ms. Spenser mentioned?"

"Uh, yeah Dad. Yeah it is," the boy replied huskily, squinting in the gloom of the early morning light. He could just make out his dad, still in uniform standing in the doorway of his bedroom.

"Ok well go ahead and take it. I'm going to try and get some sleep before this…thing tonight. Call me if you need any help or anything," the sheriff said. Then seeming to think of something he asked, "This thing…it's still safe right?"

"Yeah sure dad," Stiles said nodding absently, as his gaze slipped to the water bottle sitting on his night stand. He reached out and dragged it toward him.

"Okay. Night son," said the sheriff as he headed down the hall try for a few hours of hopefully dreamless sleep.

"Safe as anything else in Beacon Hills," Stiles added under his breath. Standing up he went to the bathroom to relieve himself. He didn't bother with breakfast or brushing his teeth. Knowing he would be purging everything from his body in everyway possible, he wasn't going to waste the time.

Grabbing fresh sheets, towels and wash clothes from the hall closet, he carried them into the room and put them on is desk. Then got out fresh pajamas and underwear as well, placing them beside the other small pile. He opened the water bottle and taking a whiff grimaced and nearly gagged at the smell, closing it again swiftly.

Shaking his head a little violently, he went back to the hall closet and grabbing a very old ragged towel from the bottom of the closet, as well as a garbage bag for his trash can. He set up his trash can on top of the towel right beside his bed and hoped he wouldn't need it immediately after drinking the potion.

He then tried to drink the liquid as quickly as possible in the hopes of not tasting it. It didn't work. Although there was the faintest hint of lemon flavor it couldn't hide the taste of bile or the smell of bile and weeks old, sweaty gym clothes. After managing to not let his gag reflex get the better of him, Stiles, eyes watering said, "Gawd, a little more warning next time, Mary," to his absent mentor." The Spark turns off his phone and crawls back in bed. Then he notices the desk chair pulled away from the desk and turned to face the bed and says with mild confusion, "Not where I left you,"

He shook his head tiredly, not really caring at this point as the potion began to take hold and pushed him into a drugged sleep. As soon as he heard the slightly labored breathing of the teen, Derek climbed back through Stiles window.

Checking on his mate first, the wolf did what wolves do, patrolled the territory. He checked to see that all doors and windows were locked, then he quietly checked on the Sheriff who was snoring peacefully in the back bedroom. Before returning to Stiles bedroom.

He leaned his head down and took a deep sniff from the teen's neck, then moved to sit in the desk chair. After a few hours, the boy suddenly lunged upwards and leaned over the side of the bed and emptied the all too meager contents of his stomach into the trash can there.

Moving swiftly the werewolf caught the younger man around the shoulders to keep him from taking a header into the trash can full of vomit. He held him in place for a few minutes, until he finished.

Derek noticed immediately the boy's scent was off he gave the younger man a glass of water from the nightstand and then helped him hold it, when Stiles nearly let the drink slip from his hands. The boy took a sip, then swished and spit into the trash can. When he was done the boy fell back on the bed and was asleep again in seconds.

After helping him get positioned in bed again, the werewolf reached for the water bottle, that had held the potion. The bottle was still sitting on the night stand and after Derek had put the glass back he took off the lid of the empty bottle and his nose wrinkled in disgust as he sneezed to clear his nose of the scent.

He took one of the wash clothes and made his way to the restroom soaking the cloth in cool water from the tap before wringing it out and heading stealthily back to Stiles room. He placed the cloth on the back of the Spark's neck and then wiped his face and down along his throat. His scent was still off but better. He drew Stiles hand into his own and held it for several minutes before giving it a final squeeze and moving back to the desk chair.

Every hour he would get up and move around the house, to keep himself limber and listen to the ambient noise around the house. He knew when the young woman walked her two dogs down the street, both of the dogs had gone nuts as soon as they came within scent range of the Stilinski household. The older woman in the garden next door, muttering to herself about her children never visiting. The man who lived two doors down on the left mowing his lawn while drinking a beer.

He would then go back upstairs, check on the thankfully heavily sleeping sheriff, before heading back into to scent the increasingly off smelling Stiles before returning to the desk chair. Stiles began to grow restless a couple of hours later. He began mumbling in his sleep. Obviously words but not many were discernible. Then finally one sentence came out clearly and it chilled Derek to the bone.

"Derek needs them, not me," he muttered and shortly after that he became even more restless, managing to get out of bed with Derek unwrapping him from his bed sheet. As the Alpha tried to get him back in bed however, Stiles said, "Bathroom," before trying to head back in that direction.

Derek is concerned with Stiles temperature which feels like he's on fire. His skin sweat slicked and flushed pink with the heat. He tried to give the boy privacy but as soon as he let go Stiles teetered toward the tub. Holding him with one hand he helped him lower his sleep shorts and boxers. He helped him sit on the toilet seat.

When Stiles emptied his bladder, Derek seriously thought about timing him after a while. The teens hair was sweat soaked and his body was actually radiating heat as he leaned forward his arms barely supporting him, as they rested on his knees. Derek pushed the door closed with his foot. Without looking up at the Alpha Stiles muttered, "Too hot." and began stripping the clothes from his lithe form, struggling a bit as they tried to cling to his sweat soaked body.

The action causing Derek to become distracted for a few precious seconds, he finally caught Stiles flailing hands and said gently, "Stiles, what are you doing?"

"Wanna shower," Stiles glazed eyes were staring unseeingly, "too hot. Need to cool off, need to get clean."

Green eyes stared at the other man, then Derek ran his fingers through Stiles hair soothingly. "Can you stay here for a minute."

Stiles looked up blankly and just nodded. Derek let go of the younger man and after making sure Stiles wouldn't fall over, hurried back to the teens room. Grabbing the towels and clothes, he looked at the bed clothes but decided to wait till he got the other man in the tub.

Getting Stiles into the tub was easy, the seat in the shower very helpful in that respect. After he set the temperature of the water to tepid, he let the shower beat down on the younger mans head only to have Stiles say, "Colder."

Derek looked at the Spark with some concern, but did as he was asked and then he noticed the actual steam coming from Stiles body. He nodded is head once sharply before heading back to the room and stripping the bed and changing the sheets.

When he went back into the bathroom, he was a little frightened to find that Stiles had not moved since he had left. The young Spark's chin tucked into his own chest, his eyes closed. Without thought the werewolf ripped off his own shirt and leaning into the stall put his fingers to the pulse at his mate's throat.

Although thready the pulse was beating regularly and Derek actually sighed gratefully. The washcloth over Stiles genitals protected his modesty for the time being.

Adjusting the water temperature to something a bit warmer, Derek grabbed another washcloth and using a cocoa butter scented body wash began to bathe the younger man. He was quick and efficient in the bathing, trying to ignore the still chilled flesh but finding it a challenge to ignore the smooth skin of his mate. He let the shower rinse the suds from Stiles, as he picked up the mint scented shampoo and worked it into a later.

The guttural groan Stiles made as Derek massaged his scalp had the Alpha having to clamp down hard on his inner wolf. When Stiles was clean and rinsed from the shower Derek turned the water off and wrapped around the pale speckled flesh. Pulling the boxer briefs up under the towel wrapped around his narrow hips.

When he tried to pull the sleep shorts up over Stiles hips though the younger man still complained about being too hot. He managed to wobble to the bathroom door under his own steam before running out of steam and leaning weakly up against the jamb. Derek pulled the young Sparks arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own arm around Stiles' waist. The pair walked into the room and after Derek lowered him to the bed

Stiles curled into a fetal position on top of the sheet with a groan. Derek ran his hand down Stiles bare side to check his skin temperature. The texture of his skin pebbled into gooseflesh, whether from the chill still in it or from the touch the Alpha couldn't say. Stiles hand shooting up to stop the caress was a surprise, the Sparks request of, "Stay Derek," even more so.

He whispered, "Give me a second," into the younger Alpha's ear before heading back to the bathroom to retrieve his t-shirt and clean up. Returning to the bedroom he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his boots and, after a short debate with himself, he left the t-shirt off. Tossing the shirt over the back of the desk chair he had been sitting in.

Wiggling a bit he got Stiles off of the covers and under them, before climbing in behind him and pulling the chilled body closer to himself, wrapping both arms around him and nuzzling gently into his neck. After a minute or two, Stiles turned to face the older man snuggling into Derek's chest and nuzzling his neck. Derek immediately began to rethink this decision.

Then a tongue swiped across his throat and Derek went from concerned to aroused in nothing flat. He felt his eyes fade to red as Stiles arms wrapped around him and held him in place. Then one of Stiles hands stroked up Derek's side a thumb teasing his nipple, as the teen nibbled across his collarbone. The Spark began to rub against the werewolves thigh, and the Alpha felt the length of Stiles erection encased in the cotton of his briefs.

"Stiles, I'm not sure…" he said keeping his voice low.

The younger man only hummed and whispered back, "Need you Derek, need you now."

Then Stiles hands slid down and cupped Derek's jean clad buttocks and pulled them in closer as he suckled a bruise onto the Alphas collar bone. "Stiles," Derek gasped, as his own cotton clad erection was brought into rough contact with the other mans stomach. His glowing red eyes falling to half mast as the boys movements continued.

One of the hands moved away from the werewolves butt cheek to between the pair and without looking he could tell that the younger man had lowered the front of his underwear. When the hand reached for his jeans though, Derek had the presence of mind to grab the hand and draw it to his lips and bite it gently not enough to break the skin or bruise. More as a need to do anything to distract himself from doing the things he wanted to do to his Mate.

His unclaimed mate had no such compunction, and slid his hand to the back of the older man's neck as he took Derek's mouth in a heated and filthy kiss. The younger man in a surprisingly enticing show of dominance said, "Gonna show them who you belong to, show them you're mine." he said his eyes flickering open to look Derek in the eye. "That's right isn't it, you're my gorgeous mate?"

He didn't wait for Derek to respond instead lowering his mouth to the side he hadn't already marked he began licking there with a kind of desperation, that matched the movements his lower half were making. Muttering, "Mine, my beautiful wolf," then teeth latched on to the Alpha's shoulder as Stiles growled.

Derek felt wetness on his jeans and wasn't sure if it was from him, Stiles or both, as he seemed to loose track of time for a bit.

Stiles relaxed with a deep sigh and whispered, "Best dream ever." Before relaxing back into a deep sleep.

Derek tensed a little at the announcement that he was just a dream. He barely choked back a pained sound, for fear of waking the younger man. His heart ached, although the more rational part of him reasoned it might be better for the moment at least if Stiles really did believe it was just a dream. Reason didn't help the pain though.

Several hours later when the Sheriff woke up and began moving around, Derek stealthily exited the room.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Moonrise arrives before sunset that evening. Lydia is down in the root cellar helping Melissa set up an IV downstairs. Mary arranges everyone in the proper order around the Nemeton. Stiles suddenly smacks himself in the head and said, "Shoot, I forgot the clothes."

"Don't worry, doofus, Lyds, has you covered," Jackson said easily. As he pulled out two large shopping bags. "Swear that girls a genius," he said with a smirk. "We did have to get something for Boyd, cause let's face it, he's built like a tank. The rest of it, we collected between the lot of us."

"Pack does for pack," Issac added as he helped Jackson divvy up the clothes. When Stiles gave them a proud parent look. The pair of werewolves laugh and chorus, in the perfect embarrassed kids way, _"Mom."_

"How'd you know?" the Spark asked in a confused tone.

"Derek said you mentioned it at random while you were making out yesterday," Lydia said as she climbed back up the ladder after helping Melissa get set up in the root cellar.

Mention of Derek, had Stiles glance over at the Alpha, and he flashes back to putting a hickey on the werewolves collarbone on the right side and an actual bite on the other side. They kept saying he had the red eyes of an Alpha. He wondered if it were real instead of a dream if that would mean the marks would still be there? He shook his head deciding it wasn't worth thinking about, cause it was just a dream.

.

"Everybody ready? It's going to get exciting up here." Stiles warned lightly.

"Exciting how?" asked the Sheriff suspiciously.

"Wind, lightning, that sort of thing. The lightning won't strike near you exactly, just don't come any closer to the Nemeton." he said in a distracted way.

"The lightning is going to strike the Nemeton?" the Alpha asked. Concern evident in his tone, and in the expressions of everyone in the circle.

"We'll be fine," reassured the Spark, "and the Nemeton has promised to protect us all. Lightning, yeah, not so much." he said with a shrug before heading down the ladder.

"Do you think he was kidding," Ethan asked the others. The looks he got had him answering his own question, "Yeah that's what I was afraid of."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles joins Mary in the root cellar, where he is surprised to find an air mattress set up in the middle of the room. He see Ms. McCall has already set up her supplies on a work table and two makeshift IV's, the bags of fluid hooked onto dangling roots hanging from the ceiling.

Mary is apparently reiterating some remarks or instructions she had given Ms. McCall at their little meeting yesterday. "Remember no matter what we can't be moved." Melissa nods and merely waits for them to lay on the air mattress and seem to fall almost immediately into a trance. As soon as she's sure they're under she starts the I.V.'s on the pair.

Trying very hard to ignore how this place gave her the creeps in memory of the fear she endured due to the darach's attempt to kill her and John and Chris Argent. Nervously she checks the IV's and rechecks her supplies over and over again for something to do other than wait and be worried.

She had realized a while ago that Stiles wasn't spending as much time as usual at her house pining for her absentee son. Mellissa had learned from the Sheriff and Lydia that Alpha's were pretty territorial as a whole and that the abandonment of over half of their makeshift Pack was not a good thing.

The return, albeit belated of Derek, and the other members of his Pack and then the return of his Pack probably wasn't going to go down well with her son. Lydia had on one of their female bonding sessions, (I.e. shopping) had ended with the pair talking over ice cream about pack hierarchy, mating rituals, and territorial behavior. The mating rituals Melissa pretended to stuff her ears for, the territorial behavior scared the hell out of her. Especially now since Derek got his Alpha-hood? back and Stiles glowing red eyes were a subject of discussion among all the Pack members.

A sudden loud rumble of thunder overhead had the nurse looking up at the dirt and root ceiling nervously. The rumbling eased down only to be replaced by a faint humming noise. Mellissa tried half-heartedly to locate the source of the sound, only to give up after a few minutes. Then another loud rumble came from above, this time sounding closer, and the humming grew louder.

Melissa McCall decided to ignore the noise as she checked on her patients. They both seemed to be doing fine. She however could admit was getting a little tired and bored. It always happened when things were slow at the hospital. It couldn't get more slow than watching two people who were basically in comas. She glanced at her watch and realized that almost three hours had gone by.

The older woman, Mary had warned her the day before that the ritual itself could last for several hours and that it could even last the entire night not to mention the coma-like recovery that Stiles had endured. The nurse sighed and muttered to herself, "Should have brought a chair."

She suddenly heard a slithering, cracking sound behind her and whirled placing herself between her incapacitated patients and the noise swinging her stethoscope like a very short bullwhip. Only to find the roots weaving themselves into a very comfortable looking rattan like chair. Cautiously she moved toward the chair which seemed to be working to shake the dirt from itself. She made note that it seemed to have created a dais underneath itself and as she touched it she felt vibrations running through it. The vibrations exactly matched the humming noise she had pushed to the periphery of her awareness. The Nemeton was humming.

Carefully Mellissa sat down and felt the odd sensation of the chair moving to conform to her shape. Then the dais moved forward slightly so that she was closer to her two patients. Several roots reached out to move lanterns so that they were more centrally located over the area. She looked up at the Nemeton's base and said, "Thanks."

**XXXXXXXXX**

After several awkward minutes of silently holding each others hands while waiting for whatever to happen that was going to happen, the Pack members began to have quiet conversations with each other.

Issac started by looking over at Chris and asking, "When Allison comes back, are you going to stay?"

"If this works," Chris said doubtfully, "I'll probably want to wrap her up in cotton and carry her off to where there is nothing supernatural going on and raise sheep or something." Then the older man looked down at where his hand is joined with Issac's and admits, "Really though, it's up to Allison. Women have always been the planners and decision makers among the hunters. I trust her judgment."

Issac nods his head in agreement, "I'm going where ever she is." The blond teen agreed, "She's my home."

"Same for me," Ethan agrees, "For Danny I mean. I let him get away once. Not gonna let him go again."

"As Danny's only living relative," Jackson advised, "I'm warning you now, break his heart, I'll break you."

Ethan gives a sad little smirk, "I might just let you."

"Romantic bullshit," Cora said caustically, "I came back for Peter and Derek."

"Which is still about family, Cora," Jackson reminded her, "Which is still basically what Pack is about. I'm not a born wolf and even I know that."

The younger Hale merely stared thoughtfully at the beta. Lydia asked in a carrying voice, "Did anyone else notice the heat generated by Stiles and our renewed Alpha?"

Peter who was standing between Lydia and Cora said, "As you can imagine I'm very interested in how Derek got renewed into an Alpha."

"Of course you are but I have a feeling that is a Derek thing," said Lydia thoughtfully. "I'm more interested in the Derek/Stiles thing than the Alpha-ness of both or either."

"You know I'm standing right here Lydia," Derek says from where he is standing between Issac and Jackson.

"I know," says the redhead with a charming smirk. She opens her mouth to say something else when they all hear, a not so distant, rumble of thunder. Almost as one everyone in the clearing look up to see not a cloud in the sky. The wind picks up whipping leaves and twigs around them. Nothing comes close enough to touch them though the wind does move their hair and clothing a bit.

When a second clap of thunder sounds right above their heads, Ethan cries, "Aw crap he really wasn't kidding, was he?"

Nobody answers as lightning strikes the stump that was and is the Nemeton. The electricity dances across the surface, the smell of ozone and burnt wood is immediately evident. Lydia shrieks but is held in place by Cora and the rest of the Pack notice stay in place. Even as the second and third strike happen, then they hear it. The humming.

Derek's face shifted to his beta form as his attention became focused n the entrance to the root cellar. So at first he doesn't really notice the tracers of energy that run along the root system of the old tree.

However when the others begin to gasp and murmur amongst themselves his attention is drawn to the multi-colored sparkles that seem to sink into the ground around the Pack. Even as they watch the ground begins to heave and move underneath their clasped hands. Lydia sasses, "Ok well I'd say something is happening," but everyone can hear the tension in her voice.

"Watch the tree line," Parrish calls sharply, "I've got movement." He draws his sidearm. Each guard had a small stack of weapons beside them except for Peter. The other three appointed guards look to their own area of woods first. Seeing nothing in their sections of the woods the trio turned in Parrish's direction. What they saw coming out of the darkened woods would be difficult for them to explain.

Almost as hard as it was for them to believe, glowing beings, some looked slightly familiar and animal-like others just bulbous and a bit grotesque but unidentifiable. Before they can move to intercept the things however, Lydia screams, "Freeze, Mary set wards remember. You're the last line of defense, and supposed to protect us. Before you abandon your posts see if the first line of defense holds."

"Did I mention I should have bitten Stiles and Lydia first, rather than Scott," said Peter in his oily stalker tone of voice.

Derek, Parrish, Lydia and the Sheriff replied in chorus, "Shut up."

They watched as the glowing things came up against a barrier and tried to find a way around, under or threw the barrier of the ward without success. Most of the creatures moved slowly, some moved faster. All of them were graceful as they moved around the ward. "I'll keep an eye on these things you guys keep an eye on them." Parrish said.

"Okay uncle," Cora said softly from where she knelt, "do you have any idea what these things are?"

"Forest spirits aren't they?" Chris offered trying both to keep an eye on the creatures and maintain his position.

"Yeah they are," Peter said, "And normally that wouldn't be a bad thing. They're like will-o'-the-wisp's they draw inattentive travelers into the woods to get lost and fall prey to whatever thing goes bump in the night. They don't actively seek prey out or be this aggressive. I guess the additional power our magical pair are putting out has them stirred up a bit."

"So how do you fight them?" the Sheriff asked.

"You don't, none of us do. Those things, you can't fight, only magic can." Chris said anxiously, as he continued to watch the soil around the base of the Nemeton roil and glow. "The Forest spirits usually hunt as individuals you never see them in a…pack like this. They touch you and where they touch you they flay your skin. If they touch you long enough they can not only kill you but literally steal your soul."

"I have a feeling the Nemeton used to control their numbers, with help from the Druids of course. Since the Nemeton was cut down and the Druids killed, they were allowed to run rampant and breed to this mob." Peter had his back to Lydia and Cora as he studied the perimeter of the ward. The spirit's shapes distorted as they went around the edge of the ward, making their appearance even more grotesque.

"What do you think Chris," he said conversationally to his old high school friend, "mistletoe and silver if they do manage to get through the ward."

"Sounds right," the hunter answered, after a slight hesitation. Shocked at being addressed by his first name by the older werewolf after so many years. "I have bottles of the powdered mistletoe in my gear bag, over next to the sheriff" he said helpfully.

The sheriff unzipped the gear bag and drew back a bit before saying, "Exactly what were you expecting Argent? World War III or the Apocalypse?"

"Yes," Chris responded.

"It is Beacon Hills, sir." Parrish added.

Ethan spoke up, "I think something is happening I think…I think they're almost ready. " he said indicating the ground around them. Sure enough the roiling shapes under the earth have coalesced into fairly human looking shapes just under the surface. The earth has also moved over the clasped hands around the circle.

"Don't move Lydia," Ethan said, holding her hand in place.

"But it's dirt," said the redhead trying to at least pull their joined hands out of the soil.

"Yeah and it's probably a lot safer than the chemicals you work with, so stop pretending to be an airhead and remember this is to save several people. Friends, family and pack members, Banshee," Ethan said, a bit more harshly than he intended. The girl looked at him a little shocked as he was usually the softer, gentler twin, then Lydia remembered why she was holding his hand. His brother, his twin, as far as they knew the last remaining member of his family and she stilled instantly. Nodding her understanding.

Followed swiftly by a scream as a clawed hand lunging out of the earth between she and Cora. Then she noticed the leather bracelet that she could swear she had been holding just a few minutes ago. Claws retracted as the left hand rose from the earth and began pushing and pulling to get out from under the disturbed soil.

"Can we help them?" Cora called out the question, no one had thought to ask. When all she got were wide eyed looks and a shrug or two.

"She's moving," said Lydia, "she's alive. She may not be for long if we don't get her out At least move the stuff from around her face."

"I'll do it," Peter said, quickly moving forward. Don't break the circle, it might affect the others. The father moved forward and carefully started removing the soil from around Malia's face. The were-coyote gasped. "Breathe, Malia just breathe," Lydia said reassuringly.

Brown eyes opened looking up at her fathers concerned face, before flashing the bright electric blue of her coyote. "Derek, I need you." Peter moved to kneel beside his niece and Derek came around to flash his Alpha eyes at his young cousin. She seemed to relax and stop struggling. Peter put his hands under Malia's shoulders pulled her out of the clinging earth.

After Peter pulled Malia free, Cora and Lydia clasped hands tighter as they smiled in relief. The werewolf helped his daughter into the clothing provided by Lydia. The girl was so dazed se didn't even put up a protest about being manhandled into clothes by her estranged father. Peter after he had finished put his jacket around her. Then after lowering her to the ground on her side he went back to standing guard behind the two girls.

Parrish was still patrolling the perimeter of the ward, keeping a watchful eye on the Forest Spirits making sure to have time to warn the others if there was a breech. He had traded out his own ammo for the silver rounds Chris had. He also had called on Aurvat. He let the jinn know what he wanted through their newly established connection more by showing than actual communication.

The jinn had looked through his eyes and then seeing the glowing creatures had suddenly manifested completely. A glowing sword was suddenly in his hand and his body was sheathed in flame, he had no doubt that he had fiery wings were sprouted from his back. He felt the heated air as they flapped and the glowing things that had been silent up to now, suddenly began chittering hysterically.

"What the hell?" the Sheriff yells and Parrish/Aurvat ignores him. These people are his family, these things are threatening his family. How to get rid of them without breaking the line of the ward? He wouldn't risk endangering the rest. The mistletoe.

He stepped back to Argents bag and drew out several bottles of the powdered mistletoe, he stepped away from the barrier and uncapping the bottle, threw the powder into the air. His wings beat the air, the heated air set the mistletoe on fire and sent it through the barrier to touch the Forest Spirits. Instantly some of them dissolved wile others began to run back to the woods. Others pressed closer, trying to force their way through the barrier thinking the ward would have to be broken for the attack to occur.

Instead Parrish/Aurvat repeated the process, seeming to destroy many of the Forest Spirits and sending others on the run. The destruction process was different with each Forest Spirit, some melted, others exploded in a rather disturbing glowing Jell-O like way, and still others disintegrated into sparkling little embers. When the survivors had finally disappeared back into the forest, Jordan felt like he needed a nap badly as the wings and sword disappeared.

He turned back to the circle he found Lydia staring at him with a smile of pride and admiration, Derek and Peter staring at him in confusion but gratitude, and the Sheriff lowering the gun he had been holding on him. Everyone else seemed to be staring at him with various expressions of awe and suspicion.

That was when the earth in between Ethan and Jackson rolled over, as if someone was turning over in their sleep. "Danny?" Ethan cried hopefully.

"Don't move," said Parrish sharply but without heat, "I'll help him, keep the circle intact." After returning his sidearm to the holster, Jordan knelt at what they could only assume was near the head and began brushing soil away from the body. He found the shoulder and worked his way up to Danny's face.

Carefully he worked to remove the dirt from the face particularly around the nose and mouth. Then sat back on his heels and waited anxiously for the former hacker to revive. The anxiety increased when nothing happened. "Blow on his face gently," the sheriff suggested.

Following the instructions, the deputy moved around to where he could face the teen and blew in his face. Almost instantly the younger man startled and tried to sit up. Eyes peering around dazedly as he gasped for breath, he reached for his chest and looked around . Jackson and Ethan looked at each other, "The metal rod He had a metal rod in his chest," Ethan cried in concern.

"Do you think, Stilinski would remember that?" asked Jackson looking around the circle.

The Sheriff seemed to be deep in thought for a moment and the a look of relief and reassurance was on his face as he said, "That was one of the identifiers he used for Danny, he told us about the metal implant. I'm not sure how or what he did but he knew and he would make sure the boy came back whole and healthy."

Lydia added from across the circle, "No one's about to die, Jackson. Trust me."

Jackson leaned over his friend to give him a reassuring smile. Ethan ducked in and gave the young Hawaiian a quick but intense kiss, as Jordan assessed the teens pulse and breathing. He then copied Peter's earlier task of reaching under the Hawaiian's shoulders and pulled him free of the earth. Pulling him over to the pile of clothes Jackson had laid out for him. He covered him with a towel and pulled the drawstring shorts and tank top over the teens body before spreading the towel out on the ground for him to lay on.

Almost as soon as he had finished that task, Ethan yelped. Aiden had reached out and grabbed his brothers knee, claws extended. Blood was now dripping from Ethan's leg into the earth. Then the deputy had an idea. "Everyone start talking, talk to them, gently and soothingly. Like you would a newborn."

"They're not babies," Jackson said uncomfortably.

"No but they are newborns, or at least they are being reborn. Maybe it'll keep them calm, help with the transition." he explained in his calm tone, as he proceeded to clear Aiden's face of the soil around it.

"Very astute deputy," Peter said admiringly, "A little new agey, but still very insightful." He went over and spoke soothingly to his daughter who blinked several times and began to seem a little more lucid.

Jackson looked at Ethan's torn expression and said, "You talk to your brother I'll talk to Danny for right now. When Lydia gets reborn Issac can talk to her."

"What about Allison?" Issac said in a stage whisper.

"I think her dad might want to talk to her first Issac," Lydia responded quietly. The young man's puppy realization look was almost as profound and amusing as Scott's.

It was about that time that Derek realized, "They're coming in reverse order of when they died. Allison will be next and soon. Chris care to do the honors?"

As Parrish worked to get Aiden to release his grip on his twin and removed from the earth. Chris Argent whispered something under his breath. Lydia asked boldly, "What did you say Mr. Argent?"

Chris glanced up at the only other non-werewolf in the circle and said with an abashed grin, "I haven't been this nervous or excited since the first time she was born," he repeated and Lydia knew she wasn't the only one to blink away a tear for the older man.

A pale hand moved out of the soil and then closed around some of the rich dark earth. John Stilinski moved forward and removed the rich soil from around the young hunters face and shoulders. Then moved away to get the feminine style blouse that Lydia had picked out. That didn't look as though it would cover the younger woman's entire torso.

"Sheriff," Derek called from across the circle and tossed him a bath sheet from across the circle. The older man caught the towel easily and moved to cover Allison with. Lydia looked offended until Derek reminded her a little tersely, "It's a resurrection Lydia, not a fashion show. They can leave in the clothes you brought but let them get their motor skills back first. Like talking and moving on their own speed."

The Banshee looked a little offended but didn't say anything. The Sheriff did something different instead of pulling Allison away from the circle he left her there under the towel so that her father could talk to her and Issac also leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Taking a page from his bosses book the Deputy covered Aiden's lower half with a t-shirt his brother had brought. The deputy left the younger man in place as both Ethan and Lydia spoke to him soothingly, is claws retracted but he didn't release his grip on his brother.

"Has anyone noticed the earth seems to be becoming richer?" John asked as he rubbed the earth between his hands where he had freed Allison. The others looked at the earth more closely.

Issac said, "He's right, the earth before wasn't very healthy looking. Now, people would pay for this kind of dirt."

When everyone stared at the younger man, he merely smiled his snarky smile, and reminded. "Grave digger, plus the house I lived in for the past year was on a farm." he said with a shrug. Then he lowered his head to the side and began murmuring to Erica about all the fun they would have when she woke up, but that they would have to look out for the new pack mom, Stiles. Who would probably put a kibosh on some of their more questionable fun. Everyone froze as a sound like a gurgle came from the earth between Jackson and Issac.

The teen smirked as he said, "Yeah, I don't know why they waited so long either." then he looked directly at Derek and gave a knowing smile. The Alpha actually blushed furiously before kneeling near his younger sister and the two took turns talking to Boyd.

The pair were reborn just a few minutes later and just a few minutes apart. Boyd was first of course, Nearly causing Cora to jerk free of both of the non-were's to wrap her arms around her friend, as he sat straight up his eyes glowing amber in the night. Derek moved around to flash his Alpha red eyes at the large werewolf before rushing to pull the t-shirt over the others large torso. Then the Alpha moved over to where Jackson and Issac knelt both taking turns talking to the obvious little mound of earth beside them. Derek spread another bath sheet over the mound in preparation.

**A/N/N/N~ Sorry yeah three authors notes does seem a bit excessive. But considering the length of the chapter, maybe not. So last chapter of Blaze to a Fire. Inferno is next. May have to take a couple of weeks off to sort out the next book. Please read, enjoy and review. More reviews always mean better writing as it inspires my imagination. thanks for all the feedback. ~A**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N~ This is the first chapter of the last book of the Spark to a Flame series, called Inferno. I hope everyone had a nice Holiday and that the bunny was generous with you and that you got to spend time with your families. Warning things are about to get a little weird, but then it's Beacon Hills what do you expect. ~A**

**Chapter 19**

The werewolf heard the thunder of feet down the ladder behind him and knew it would be the Sheriff. What he saw was confusing and horrifying all at once. Stiles and Mary were on fire.

It made no sense. They had used battery powered lanterns for just this reason. He thought all this in the seconds it took him to rip his shirt off and began smothering the flames. Melissa was trying to do the same with her scrub jacket. When the flames were finally out, she ran to the work table and cried out, "I need my kit from the car."

"Ethan I need you!" The Alpha shouted, up the ladder as Peter was coming down the ladder. He moved toward the work table as Melissa held up one of the bags of solution, "Cut it open and pour it over the burned areas on them." she grabbed the bag she had carried all of her supplies in and pulled out the keys. Peter grabbed the bag before Derek could reac it and was already moving back toward the pair of comatose magic users.

Ethan eschewing the ladder, leapt into the opening of the root cellar. As soon as he stood at the bottom of the ladder, he stared at Derek and then seeing something he hesitated eyes wide. "Ethan is the fastest of us," Derek said.

"Ethan," Ms. McCall shouted, "Back seat, gold sedan, big bag, bring it back as fast as you can." she said tossing him the keys. Catching them midair, the twin turned back to the opening and was gone. They heard him shouting something and then there was just muttering from upstairs.

Cora called, "Don't go down there, unless they call you. You'll just be in the way, we can probably hear them anyway."

Peter used a claw to open the bag of fluid and trying to hold it carefully poured the liquid over Mary's face and shoulders and over Stiles arm and torso. The stillness of the two was disconcerting to Mellissa. People with such burns would have obvious suffering even in deep unconsciousness.

Peter said, "They should be moving and moaning. My nurse told me until my wounds healed I was screaming, actually she said howling."

Melissa didn't answer him at first, "We have to stop the burning," she called. "Getting two more bags of fluid out of her bag.

"We did," said Derek, "They're not on fire anymore."

"The tissue will keep burning and doing more damage until we cool it down," the nurse explained. Flipping the IV bags wrong side up she had the two Hales hold the bags as she used her scissors and cut the end off. Then she turned Mary on her side and Peter more carefully poured the liquid over the burned areas of the older woman's skin.

Peter had just finished and dropping the bag was about to help turn Mary onto her back when he noticed something and said, "Wait, Ms. McCall look at this." He drew her attention to where a root from the Nemeton had made its way down a support beam and was now attached to the older woman's ankle.

"Should we detach it?" the older werewolf asked.

Mellissa looked at the plant suspiciously, "The nurse in me says yes, but Mary said not to disturb their bodies at all until they came back. No leave it be, just help me keep an eye on it,"

"On them," Derek said as he showed them both where Stiles was similarly connected to the Nemeton. "If she told you not to disturb them should we even be doing this." Mellissa merely glanced at the root frond and then grim faced turned the teen onto his side so that Derek could douse him with the liquid.

"I'm hoping disturbing them means moving them out of the root cellar, I am beginning to wonder what they didn't tell us about all of this and something tells me that they left out a lot." the nurse said as she let Stiles roll back into place.

There was yelling from the surface followed by Ethan jumping into the entrance the large duffle thrown over his shoulder. Handing the nurse the keys first he carried the bag over to the worktable for her, and unzipped it. Then he looked over at Derek and Peter and said, "We have a problem."

**XXXXXXXXX**

"Someone was tracking me on the way back from Ms. McCall's car. Not fast enough to keep up with me but I think they were werewolves." Ethan said as he did his best to stay out of the way of the whirlwind that was the nurse.

"Did they smell dead?" Peter asked. The pair looked at him strangely and he reminded, "Stiles said the things that were coming were more dead than alive. He said the flesh was rotting off of them, one would assume there would be an odor of death and decay. So was there?"

Ethan looked down for a moment in thought and then said, "No not that I noticed."

"Other werewolves, wonderful. Ours still haven't recovered from being reborn yet. Stiles and Mary are down for at least a few days if not longer…" Derek said looking tense and worried.

"From what Lydia said they probably won't be doing magic or much of anything when they finally do come around." Peter added with concern. "Stay with your mate, Alpha. We'll have Lydia set a perimeter with the mountain ash. Just in case the wards don't hold against these intruders." his uncle said in a surprisingly formal and respectful voice.

Derek nodded distracted, then coming alert he looked sharply at his uncle as he said, "Wait, my mate, what mate."

"The one who has marked you nephew, despite your denials." Peter said with surprising affection, "I take it you haven't had a look at yourself in a mirror since you spent time with Stiles."

The Alpha shook his head and then his hand went to his bare shoulders, first the right shoulder where the hickey was just beginning to fade. Then over to the left shoulder where a bite mark was clearly visible. A look of awe settled on his features as he rubbed his fingers carefully over the bruise. Stiles hadn't broken the skin but the bite was clearly delineated.

Then Derek's face slowly crumbled as he said softly, "He didn't mean it that way, he was delusional."

"Delusional people are usually the most honest," Mellissa said as she carefully applied ointment to the burns on Mary's face. The werewolves looked startled as they had forgotten she was in the cellar with them.

"Or it was the purifying agent Mary gave him talking," Derek replied morosely.

"Really so did he say someone else's name when he made that mark. Did you force him to make it?" said the nurse as she continued to wrap bandages here and there.

"No, he said my name," he said thoughtfully remembering the events.

"He was right," Mellissa said as she continued to work quickly with her patients, "you really do have a masochistic tendency to believe you don't deserve any joy in your life."

"He thinks that?" Derek asked.

"We talked about it this summer," said Mellissa as she seemed to be finishing up with her patients. She looked over at Derek and said, "He's been my surrogate while Scott's been gone. Doing Scott's chores, eating with me, visiting me. He even jumped off my car when the battery died. He talks to me, like I hope he would have talked to Claudia if she were still alive. We talk about everything, especially you Mr. Hale."

Derek merely nodded thoughtfully, "…And he wants me to be happy."

"And to have your family back," she said as she began to put some things back in her duffle bags while arranging other on the work table.

"You mean my Pack," Derek said absently.

"Of course, but he also specifically said, your family…." she said from across the room. Not seeing when his eyes snapped to the damaged bodies still lying on the air mattress. The burned bodies.

"He wouldn't," said Derek.

"For you, he would," Peter said quietly in awe.

"We've got company up here," and that was the Sheriff calling down the ladder to them. Derek felt a pang of guilt as he realized that it had probably been the sheriff Cora had spoken to earlier.

"Go," Derek said sharply to his uncle. As the older werewolf scrambled up the ladder, the Alpha leaned down and whispered in Stiles ear, "You were all I needed, always." Before following his uncle up the ladder.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Alpha, came up to see that things had changed dramatically. The moon was beginning to set but the moonlight still bathed everything in the clearing in a silvery light. The area around the Nemeton base was filled with moving bodies and the spark of metal was seen here and there.

Someone had pulled Erica and Boyd to sit beside each other and they had leaned them against each other for support as they recovered. The pair were obviously trying to force themselves to heal faster. Ranged on either side of the pair were Allison who was up on one knee, bow in hand, her father was beside her, his guns already in hand. He and his daughter were talking softly but it was obvious that sheer force of will was keeping the archer on her feet.

Issac was on the other side of the pair of werewolves, and one of his familiar sweaters was wrapped around Erica, who of the lot looked the worse for wear. She looked very much like she had before she had been bitten except for her eyes which were glowing golden.

Boyd looked a bit better, his eyes were also glowing golden. The order of death apparently also affected how quickly they recovered from the process. Derek thought as he saw the younger werewolf flash his eyes gold at Derek respectfully.

Over to another side, still facing the woods, were Ethan, Aiden, Danny and Jackson. Jackson and Ethan were in front. Danny was behind them and Aiden had a hand on the Hawaiians shoulder and was leaning on the lean young man a little heavily. Danny was holding a wood baseball bat that had some symbols etched into it. Derek didn't recognize the symbols but was fairly sure the bat would pack a hell of a punch if anyone ever actually played baseball with it. He also had a sneaking suspicion that although the bat wasn't familiar that the owner was down in the root cellar hanging onto his life tenaciously

He heard Aiden say to the taller teen in a husky voice, "I'm telling you that won't work on our kind."

Jackson responded for his friend, "That's Stiles new bat. I have a feeling that thing would work on a kanima, an Alpha wolf or just about anything else."

"So we're trusting Stiles now," Aiden asked incredulously.

Ethan answered this time and with a quelling look to his brother he said, "Look around, he brought you and all of these others back to life. All in one night. So yeah I'm thinking we're trusting him. We're also being nice to him so he doesn't put you back wherever he found you."

Danny said, "Stiles wouldn't do that." Then he looked at the recently returned twin and said, "He'd keep you alive so he could torture you first." he concluded deadpan.

The Alpha smirked slightly as he looked around for the others in their group. The Sheriff and Parrish bracketed Lydia. The red haired Banshee had one of Allison's ring daggers in her hand.

Cora and Malia were staring at Peter. When Derek got there the trio stared at him, he said sharply, "We are a pack, we deal with what's coming as a family. Agreed?"

Cora nodded her head and said, "Agreed." and allowed her brother to draw her into his arms.

Peter offered his hand to his daughter, who looked at it suspiciously and then looked up at her father, then cautiously she took the offered hand . It was obvious that Peter wanted to draw her close as his nephew had done to his niece but the older Hale was wise enough not to try.

The four Hales headed to the barrier where Ethan stood facing the tree line as they could see three young men emerging from the woods and walking toward them. There were two older teens and a younger one who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. Oddly enough the youngest seemed to be in charge.

He tried to cross the barrier and was obviously surprised, when he wasn't able to, pretending he didn't even notice the barrier he said, "Whoever you are you're trespassing, this is Hale land."

Derek and the remainder of the Hale family came to stand in front of their friends and pack. "Then it's a good thing, we're Hales." Said Peter in his usual arrogant tones. "Funny thing, I don't remember you being at any of our very limited family reunions.

One of the older teens came forward and gropped the younger teens shoulder. Which was a good thing as the younger leader looked as if he had just been hit by a two-by-four. The older boy said in awe, "It's them, Seth. We've caught up. We have to tell the others."

The dark haired teen merely nodded his head and the three, morphed into their beta forms and ran back into the woods at full speed. "We could catch them," offered Jackson as he, Issac, and Ethan stepped forward.

"No," Derek said sharply, "One, they said tell the others. That means more of them, it also means they'll probably be coming back here. Save our energy, make them use theirs. Two, it's been ten years, but did that remind anyone else of Uncle Jamie's son, Seth." He said looking expectantly at Cora and Peter. Both nodded at him, looking decidedly shell-shocked.

Derek shook his head and said almost under his breath, "He really did it." Then looking up at the three teens he reminded, "And three if after all that Stiles has done to get us all back together again, I let you run off and get killed, exactly how many levels of pain do you think Stiles will bring down on my head?"

"If I know my son," the Sheriff said helpfully, "If any of you end up injured or dead before he wakes back up? I would say that he may just invent a few new levels of pain, murder and mayhem. Just to cover it." The words were spoken clearly and soberly and the werewolves who had listened in, realized two things. One the sheriff was being completely honest and that they just might have underestimated Stiles, severely.

Derek looked around to find that Boyd and Erica while woozy were slowly coming back up to fighting form. Allison being human and a hunter was conserving her strength. Issac had come to sit by her side and the girl leaned her head on his shoulder. Chris sat in front of the pair, speaking quietly too them.

Ethan and Jackson were reacquainting Aiden, Danny, and Erica and Boyd with things that had happened locally and in the world since their deaths. It was a lot to catch up on, and a lot to take in. Luckily they seemed to be handling their reanimation surprisingly well, and without any signs of insanity or psychosis

All around the clearing the Pack were getting acquainted or reacquainted. Derek was pleased with the actions of his family and betas. He knew Stiles would be as well. Thinking of the Spark made the werewolf want to see the young man. He walked back to the Nemeton and went down the ladder.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mellissa was injecting something into the I.V.'s, looking up as the young man climbed down into the root cellar. "I'm giving them something to prevent infection because of the burns."

"Did either of them mention anything about fire to you?" he asked the older woman quietly.

The nurse sighed heavily as she shook her head in the negative, "Neither of them said anything at al about it. I take it they didn't say anything to you either?"

"No. Did Mary tell you how long they might be out?" the werewolf said as he came to stand beside the slightly scorched air bed. Absently he was surprised that the thing hadn't deflated or more frightening fused with the two magic users skin. When it had been subjected to the sudden burst of flame. Then he tuned back in when he realized that Ms. McCall was speaking to him.

"Mary didn't say anything and Stiles said that they really weren't sure because apparently no one had ever tried this before. His best guess at least four days and upward of two weeks. I don't know how we're going to keep them here for two weeks. Supplies alone will become an issue, not to mention, we're all going to have to care for them. I have to work and sleep sometime," she said with weak amusement in her voice. "And that's just for the coma, the recovery after…they may be like that till after Scott returns."

There was something in her tone of voice that had Derek look at the woman sharply, "What aren't you saying?"

The older woman sighed as she said, "I've known Stiles almost his whole life. He's changing. He was different when he came to save us in this place when that dark druid put us down here. He was different when we thought he was dying, one second he would be the little boy I'd known for years, the next cold, distant…oily."

She shook her head as she continued, "Now he's… he's older. I saw it before sometimes, after his mom died, when his father couldn't really handle Claudia's death. His eyes would have this age in them, like an old soul. Then he would hide it behind the sarcasm and Stilesiness."

She looked up at the young werewolf and added, "Now he's changed again. He used to be for lack of a better word, Scott-centric. Scott was his world, his center, his brother. Scott knew it and took advantage of it. He would manipulate Stiles, convince him away from other people so that Scott could keep his attention focused on him. Scott did the same thing to me when his father came back. I recognized it though. Then I started recognizing it when Stiles started dating Malia, I'm fairly sure Stiles did too. He refused to stop dating her even when Scott didn't approve and tried to break them up."

"Scott got ticked off that's why he went off with the rest of the lacrosse team." The older woman confessed with shame coloring her voice over her son's behavior. "Even though we couldn't really afford it. He manipulated his father to get the money for it." she looked away but not before Derek saw the disappointment in her eyes, "He actually told Stiles that it would be a good team building thing, he made it clear that he didn't consider Stiles part of the team and that he wasn't just talking about the lacrosse team."

It was obvious the woman was becoming more upset as she put to voice things she had kept to herself for far too long. "Ever since he became an Alpha, his childishness, his self-centeredness, its just become more obvious. When he and Allison broke up I actually thought it would be good for him. It would make him mature, it didn't. He nearly sent Issac through the wall just for kissing her. Then he started dating Kira and I thought that would be good for him but I've seen him manipulate her as well."

She pursed her lips before continuing with a slight hitch in her breath, "I think when he gets back and all of this has changed it will be dangerous. I think when he figures out that Stiles is in love with you and no longer remotely centered around him, if Stiles is still weakened like this…." Even now Derek could see she couldn't finish the sentence. Couldn't put to voice how dangerous her son, her child just might be.

At first he couldn't say anything, he could smell how real her fear and concern were. Stiles had voiced his own concerns and anger over the issue. He hadn't said anything to Derek per say, but Derek had overheard him talking to Mary about it on occasion. He'd also heard it in the tone of voice he used when they were talking about Scott. The Spark seemed to be outgrowing his friend or at least outgrowing Scott's attitude.

Derek had no idea what he was going to say but whatever it was got interrupted by Peter calling down, "Nephew, they're back"

A strange chill went down the Alpha's spine at those words, two Alpha's couldn't occupy the same territory usually. Even when they were in the same family. Usually the battle that followed would be deadly, with all but the youngest killed or forced to submit to the new Alpha. Even those who did submit were usually merely Omegas. He wouldn't let that happen even if what he thought Stiles had tried to do was successful. He patted the older woman's shoulder reassuringly as he went to the ladder.

The glow of dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky and giving everything a pearly gray appearance. Lydia was there in front of him before he was even able to see the arriving Pack. "They aren't supposed to be here, I'm not sure why, but I know that." He looked up from her brown eyes to see the flames in the eyes of the deputy who stood protectively beside her.

"I think this is all part of Stiles plan, Lydia. Still not sure what that is exactly but I guess we're about to find out." he said giving the Banshee a charming smile.

The redhead fell into step beside him and said, "You know you've started doing that a lot more."

The werewolf looked down at Lydia questioningly, eyebrow raised, "You smile more. I'm sure we don't know why that is?"

"Your point, Lydia?" Derek asked but he couldn't keep the smirk from his face as the redhead returned his grin with a knowing smirk.

"You're good together, we approve," she said not looking back up at the Alpha as they headed to the barrier. Parrish flanked the Alpha on the other side, his rifle slung over his shoulder. A grim, yet confident expression on his face. The sheriff then fell into step beside Lydia and the rest of the Pack spread out around them.

The other pack was already approaching the barrier, front and center was a large she wolf with glowing red eyes. Derek stepped up to the barrier and said respectfully, "Hello, Mother," before flashing his own red glowing eyes back at the black she-wolf.

The she-wolf rose from the ground easily, the transformation from full wolf to human easy and fluid. One of the humans who were in her pack came forward and draped a cloak over her shoulders. Before anyone could say anything else though there was a bright flash of light and everyone in the clearing fell to the ground unconscious.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N~ And this is where once again my fingers just sort of took over and the chapter got a mind of it's own. After 15,000 words I decided it was time to break the chapter in half and I'm still not don with it. I call this a little revisionist history of Teen Wolf. After the Hale Fire was waylaid by Stiles and Mary. Hope you all enjoy the first half of the chapter, even if it is late. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 20A**

Stiles shocked awake, and then nearly choked as he drew in a deep breath and his lungs burned as though he had been holding his breath for a long time. say a few months at least. His head ached terribly, so it took a few minutes for him to remember Mary His head whipped around to search for the older woman which didn't help his headache at all. The fact that he saw what he figured was her leg under a bush nearby, didn't help his heart at all.

He crawled toward her a little fearfully, until he reached out to touch her ankle and felt the warmth in her leg. He pulled some of the low hanging branches aside to see her laying on the ground, just sleeping. He shook her ankle and had the tiniest bit of vindictive pleasure, no matter how unwarranted, of hearing his mentor groan in pain as she too roused.

"And this is where I threaten to turn you into a toad, cub," the older woman said a little hoarsely from the pain.

The younger man merely scooted himself over to where he could cross fold his legs and put his elbows on his knees, while waiting for the both of them to recover enough for conversation and strategizing.

He didn't have to wait long, Mary sat up and mirrored his pose. Pushing a little healing energy through the both of them. She oriented herself and said quietly, "The Hale House is about a quarter mile that way," she indicated the west and slightly over her right shoulder, "Do you have the time?"

The younger Stilinski pulled out his cell phone and tried to turn it on, only to have nothing happen, "This should be almost fully charged still." he said perplexed.

"That particular version of that phone hasn't been invented yet Stiles," Mary reminded as the teen nodded sheepishly and tucked the cell phone back into his pants pocket.

Shoving the sleeve back on his hoodie he looked at the dial of his wrist watch and said, "6:30. We have about forty-five minutes."

"Which means that Kate and her co-conspirators are probably already in the woods. The teen nodded and closed his eyes for a minute, when they reopened the embers were there and he looked over at the older woman.

They are in the woods coming from the direction of the Argent home instead of the road." he concentrated for a moment longer. The family seems to be having a reunion or party of some kind. The coroner lied or the meeting was a surprise of some sort because there are a lot more people there than were in the official report." Stiles said with consternation and not all of them are wolves. There are a lot more humans there and people who weren't part of the family."

"Then we should get going," Mary said as she rose gingerly from the ground. "How do you want to handle this cub?" asked the older woman hand on his shoulder supportively.

"She knows me in the future, so do those others, at least a couple of them. Can't let them see me now. I'll get everyone out of the house, you do your best to stop them from burning the house down." Stiles said simply.

"Oh let's try for a couple levels better than that," suggested Mary helpfully as they began to run through the woods toward the Hale House. "Let's try to catch them and hand them over to your father shall we?"

"Sounds wonderful except for two things, we have no way to call my dad and we can't let my dad see me or you." the younger man said as they desperately picked up speed pushing a little magic into their systems to get to the property faster.

"No reason we have to be glory hounds and stick around for the accolades is there?" Mary offered in between breaths of air.

"Good point," Stiles agreed as the two of them ran through the woods. Silently since their plan was laid, their motions fluid and soundless now. In the distance the two of them felt a hum, and a new surge of adrenaline came from nowhere and surged through their body. Both of the magic users sent an answering thrum back through the lines of magic they were connected to the earth by. A sign of appreciation to the Nemeton who was helping them along with their appreciation.

In their straightforward plan they had not taken several things into consideration. One they came through the back door of the Hale House. A house crowded with werewolves and humans having a party of sorts. A Pack of powerful super-naturals who had been persecuted in the past and had a healthy suspiscion of anyone or anything outside of the pack.

Stiles had gone barreling through the backdoor into the kitchen where several Pack members had gathered, as families were wont to do. Two of the Pack members grabbed for him, he deftly avoided them but crashed into a third and carried her to the ground in a tangle of limbs. With a quick sorry to the woman on the ground, Stiles tried to untangle their limbs as he called, "Alpha Hale, I need to see Alpha Hale, it's urgent."

The woman under him looked up at the Spark and inhaling deeply said in a warm contralto, "I'm Talia Hale, who are you and why do you smell like my son and lightning?"

Realizing he was lying on Derek's mother who could rip his throat out, Stiles tried even harder to untangle his limbs as he explained in his usual babble, "Friends, magic, hunters coming, going to burn down house with all of you inside. Get out, everyone get out, where's your phone?"

There were suddenly disjointed bits of conversation around him as he finally managed to get untangled and rise, before reaching down to help the Alpha to her feet. Some of the pack were seeking family members, some were reacting with suspicion, others with downright scorn. Then Stiles noticed that while he wasn't alone in the kitchen, Mary wasn't with him.

"Quiet," Talia Hale said without raising her voice. Almost immediately a level of quiet fell over the kitchen Stiles wouldn't have imagined was possible with this many people in the space. She looked at Stiles and said encouragingly, "Explain?"

"I'd love to but there's no time. Hunters are on their way here now, they'll be here in," he checked his watch again and sped up, "less than five minutes. They intend to burn down the house with everyone inside and make it look like an electrical fire."

He saw the Alpha shaking her head, "We have a pact with the Hunters…" she began.

"With the Argents, more specifically with Chris Argent. Apparently not all of the Argents signed that agreement, or follow that damned code. Kate, Gerard, and Victoria, they think of it more as guidelines, very loose guidelines. Chris Argent doesn't know about the attack but Kate is leading it, and they're on their way here now."

A dark look came into the older woman's eyes, the look of a mother preparing to do battle for her child and Stiles was about to waylay the protective mother vibe when they all heard a child's shriek from the front hall. "Oh great they're _early_," Stiles said with a sarcastic growl as he forced his way through the surge of bodies that were headed to the front hall, forgetting the plan to stay out of sight, entirely.

There stood Kate Argent facing Talia Hale who was barely holding a beta couple who had shifted and were trying desperately to get to the hunter. Or more specifically the terrified four year old she was holding by the throat. The boy to his credit wasn't making a sound, Stiles chose to think it was bravery and not the fact that the female hunter was holding the little boy in mid-air by his throat while holding a hunting knife to his pale neck.

"Get back, all of you mutts get into the basement or I slit your puppy's throat," the Hunter said with a cold grin. "Move!" she demanded. Talia Hale began to back up. The rest of the pack followed their Alpha backing toward what Stiles could only assume was the direction to the entrance to the basement.

Stiles didn't move. "Didn't you hear me kid, I said move?"

"I'm not part of this Pack," he said in an eerily calm voice.

"Yeah well it doesn't matter," said one of the men who came up behind Kate with a gun and aimed it at the teenager, "Wolves still die when you shoot them with wolves bane."

"So do humans but then you don't really care if I'm human either do you Kate," the dark eyed man said staring at her.

"You know me?" the female hunter asked suspiciously studying the dark haired boy before her.

"We've met before, or we will. You never answered me Kate. You don't really care who you kill do you? Just so you get to kill something, right?" Stiles asked and took a step forward to look more sharply at the older woman. "As a mater of fact you don't care what you do to get to kill someone, right? For instance do your friends out there know that you're a pedophile, Kate?" He said moving another step closer as he spoke.

The female hunter watched him with a mad light in her eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

"Doesn't matter," said the hunter beside her as he prepared to shoot Stiles. "If you're a wolf, you'll die, if you're human you're a race traitor. Either way, you'll die with the rest."

Kate tried to stop the other hunter but the gun went off or rather blew up in the hunters face. He fell to the floor and Stiles very pointedly didn't look down at the hunter on the ground, instead he looked at the woman and said, "I'm other."

He put out a hand and said, "Peratio." The knife was suddenly in his hand and the boy was in his arms a few seconds later. Suddenly they all smelled smoke. Kate Argent pulled her gun and was aiming it at the Pack who were beginning to panic.

Mary lunged through the still open front door and grabbed the woman pulling her hard into a burning wall. The fire caught both of the women's clothing on fire. Mary yanked the younger woman out the door. Stiles remembering the plan yelled, "Everyone out the back now!" When the Pack didn't move Stiles flashed his ember eyes and they then turned red as he shouted, "Now!" and the roar that came out of him was definitely Alpha quality. Everyone froze for a split second before seeming to teleport out the door.

Stiles wasn't surprised to find two of the arsonists just outside the door waiting for them. He was still holding the toddler in his arms which he regretted when one of the arsonists threw a can of accelerant at him and then followed it with a flare. As soon as he was doused with the accelerant he tossed the boy back toward the pack, with a blast of force he blew the flare apart mid-air.

He couldn't help the scream of pain he let out as his shirt caught fire from the fragments from the flare. He was gratified however when Unger's clothing also caught fire. He wasn't awfully surprised when a summer cloudburst suddenly occurred, the burning was doused but he could still smell the accelerant and saw

Reddick standing there with another can of the stuff, looking dumbfounded.

Unger was huddled on the ground whimpering, Stiles didn't even bother looking at the pathetic human being. He couldn't even feel the pain from his own burns, he attributed that to the Nemeton and also to a very healthy dose of adrenaline. Both of which were probably why he felt as though his brain was literally burning with rage. He reached up to touch his scalp to make sure only to discover his face and head were unmarred by the fire.

He looked back to discover over a dozen people huddled together outside the back door. He looked back at the house and discovered there was now smoke and steam coming from the house. With a hoarse voice from the smoke and screaming he shouted, "Don't just stand there, see if the fire is out and call 911, tell them we need EMT's, fire and police. Where's the boy?"

Talia was suddenly there in front of him, gosh that woman was fast. "The boy is fine, he's with his parents." She looked back and said, "Don't bother calling the police, we'll take care of this with our own form of justice."

"The hell you say," Stiles retorted sharply, "just because you're werewolves doesn't mean you're above the law." The eyebrow she raised was disturbingly familiar and Stiles nearly giggled at the stray thought, "Now I know where he gets it from."

"I'm not used to being naysaid," the female Alpha said.

"Yeah well I am used to it," said Stiles ignoring the man holding the can of toxic chemicals. "It sucks especially when you know the other person is right and your wrong. Get used to it, as your kids get older it's going to happen a lot."

Peripherally he saw Reddick trying to creep away and said, "You move another step Reddick and I may just decide to light you up like a Roman candle. Just like you and your friends tried to do to this house and these nice people. These kids." With that he looked over at the toddler he'd saved and froze for a split-second when he saw what he could only assume was a much younger Cora. Then he added looking back at the arsonist in a low, growling tone, "Me."

The older man dropped the can in the grass and knelt with his hands in the air in a classic gesture of surrender. "Good," Stiles muttered and then called, "Mary?"

There wasn't an immediate answer and though he shouldn't waste the magic, he muttered something and suddenly wasn't there. Followed quickly by the night air being split by the sound of a gunshot.

A few of the Pack stayed with the pair of arsonists while the rest ran to the front of the building. Mary stood there or rather leaned against a nearby tree. The other hunters and arsonists were all laid out on the ground around the front yard. One was smoking closer to the house, the rest were in various stages of unconsciousness around the clearing in the front of the house.

Kate Argent was in the middle of the clearing. She was frozen in place, not even able to speak. Though from the minute movements she was making it didn't stop her from trying. Her gun was raised but she couldn't even twitch enough to pull the trigger. Stiles went to check on the woman who was leaning against the tree.

He moved her hair over her shoulder so he could see her burns. Her face and shoulder were obviously burned but she grinned wickedly at him as he nodded her head in the direction of the female hunter. Stiles smirked at the older woman before he headed toward Kate.

"I do love your style, Mary," he told the older woman. He carefully pried the gun out of the older woman's hand and facing away from the people gathered in the clearing the Spark rendered the gun safe and then came back to face Kate. He said with no amusement whatsoever, "You know what Kate, you're a hunter who doesn't learn. Prey change, if the hunter doesn't then he will become the prey."

"Luckily for you, the werewolves adapted to become more human or I should say more humane. While you…well you devolved to become less human and less animal. You unfortunately devolved into arrogance. A very unattractive and lethally stupid trait, as your about to find out." he said to her coldly.

"To paraphrase a movie I like. The winner isn't the one who has the bigger claws," he said harshly, then holding up her weapon he continued, "or the bigger guns. It's the one who has the bigger brains. We have that, you don't."

Stiles lifted his head and almost seemed to scent the air, and said almost too quietly for anyone to hear, "Hi dad."

"Time to go," he said helping Mary move away from the tree before looking at Kate and saying with a sassy little smirk, "He's right, you never will evolve. Nighty-night, Kate." Just like a puppet that suddenly had the strings cut Kate Argent flopped to the ground, unconscious or asleep. None of the pack really cared.

That's when the others heard the sirens from the sound just at the edge of the Preserve. "Tell my…the deputy what happened. Tell him Garrison Myers, the arson inspector got paid off to list this as an electrical fire, check his financials. Tell him Harris the science teacher at the high school was manipulated by Kate to tell her how to set a fire and make it look like an electrical fire. Tell them they talked in front of you, told you all that but get your stories straight before the deputy gets here. Get it straight, or he'll catch on. He's sharp."

Mary leaned against the younger man and looked up at the Pack as she said, "Don't forget us." Then there was a bright flash of light and the pair disappeared.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek Hale graduated from Columbia with a degree in architecture in 2009, a year earlier, but then his sponsor Mr Sands had offered him a position in the company as his apprentice if he succeeded. He still called his family frequently and visited on holidays and as frequently as he could.

While living in San Jose had come with a few challenges, and not a few pleasurable evenings, Derek had felt he was missing something. One evening while out on a run he was attacked by a rogue Alpha, the creature was feral and nearly insane, Derek defended himself and ended up killing the Alpha, thus becoming the Alpha himself.

When he told his mother she was obviously relieved he was okay but when he told her he thought he might be an Alpha now because of the incident her reaction was strained. A year after he joined the firm Mr. Sands and the other partners were so impressed with his skills that they made him a partner.

His first assignment as partner was a job in his hometown. An older woman wanted a home built for herself and an industrial building redesigned into loft apartments for her godson and whoever he wanted to join the group.

It had been three months since Derek had visited home the last time. To say his reception was cool was putting it mildly. His mother who was his inspiration in all things, was suddenly cold to him. Laura his older sister was openly hostile, even his father was distant.

Only his Uncle Peter and his younger sister Cora were unchanged. Cora had practically tackled him in her enthusiasm on seeing him. Peter had given him a manly hug, and then Derek had gone into his room to find his bed gone and all of his belongings packed up in boxes.

He stood in the doorway of his room stunned for several minutes before Peter came and reminded him gently, "Two active Alpha's can rarely share the same territory, nephew. You know that your mother has planned for Laura to take her place all this time, you suddenly becoming an Alpha rather by accident… has caused three Alpha's in the Hale Pack. Thus there has been a little tension."

Derek looked sharply at his Uncle and noticed something in his eyes. "What happened?"

His uncle sighed deeply as he said, "Laura didn't want your mother to allow you back in the territory, they argued. It wasn't pretty, several of the human pack members left until things were settled. Your mother agreed it might be…safer that way. In short the Pack is unsettled." The older man said diplomatically.

"Safer...has Laura become violent?" asked Derek an expression of confused concern clear on his face.

"Not physically, no. However her emotions have become volatile," they both hear a door slam downstairs and Peter said helpfully, "I took the liberty of getting you a hotel room in town. Shall we?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was in a dangerous state, bored. He was headed to the loft to practice magic. Just a little air magic he felt the need to move and make magic. It helped inspire him where his designs were concerned. One would think the space would be difficult to work magic in, considering it was rather confined, was practically surrounded in glass, and seemed to trouble as well as the Nemeton did. Stiles found the space inspirational both for his magic and drawing.

Stiles godmother had come to town a few months ago, both his dad and he vaguely remembered her, though neither of them could exactly place her. When she had arrived in town and had informed them both that not only was Stiles a Spark (which she then had to explain to the pair) but that she was there to teach him how to use his powers. The resulting laughing fit only ended when the pair had hit the ceiling literally, as in laughed their way to the ceiling. They only finally settled back to the ground about half an hour later, in which they were served dinner.

The only matter they got stone-walled on was when Stiles had asked her quite innocently if she didn't have a family of her own that might be looking for her, she had gotten a strange look in her eyes and said, "None that will miss me."

Mary had told him that she had hired an architect that would help him work on a practical design for the industrial building and what she affectionately called the Sister House.

Stiles and Mary had already had an electrician and an inspector come and do the upgrades and rewiring on the space and to deem it if not exactly habitable yet at least structurally sound. Stiles would often come here after school and clean. In the past week he had managed to clear out the staircase that led to the loft. A space that was filled with the refuse of countless homeless people and disenfranchised youth, Mary's term not his.

The loft itself was one of his favorite spaces in the whole building. The bank of windows made it possible to see the city laid out like colored jewels at night. Today he was going to try an experiment, he put the ten pound bag of sand he had lugged up the stairs on the floor. The space was structurally sound but the electrician was waiting for parts to repair the old service elevator that they were going to keep. So Stiles lugged.

Mary had told him it would build character to which his father had replied, "It's Stiles, trust me, he doesn't need anymore character. If he becomes anymore of a character he'll need his own zip code because nobody else will be able to be in the same area as him."

Stiles pulled out the ladder the electrician had used to start installing lighting in the space. Pulling the plastic tarps and painters tape out of his backpack he began putting a protective layer of the plastic over all the windows. He was glad his father wasn't here. Knowing your son was learning magic and actually practicing it was one thing. Watching him climb walls and the ceiling like Spiderman when the ladder wasn't tall enough, yeah that was something else entirely.

Mary and his father weren't exactly close but the woman was very honest with his father. She had brought a book to dinner one night and after the meal had given his father a bottle of scotch, the good stuff and told him to start reading. The book had witches, demons, kitsunes, every kind of were-animal you could imagine and a few things you shouldn't.

She had then informed him that every one of the monsters in that book was real and a possible threat. The bottle was empty before his father was halfway through the book. On the positive side his father was still stone cold sober, on the negative side the things in the book were what had pretty much scared him stone cold sober.

Stiles stood up on the ceiling and surveyed his work. When he was satisfied that the glass was all covered he concentrated and did a back flip off the ceiling, it was surprisingly graceful, considering what a klutz Stiles was, and he stuck the landing easily with his magic. One day he might just try flying but he didn't quite trust his magical ability that far yet.

He really needed to remember to discuss air conditioning with his godmother, he thought as he pulled his sweat soaked t-shirt off and wiped his face with it. He then put the shirt in his backpack and the backpack and ladder back into the other room making sure to close the door securely. The walls of the building, especially this particular room were covered with a couple of decades worth of graffiti, gum and other things he didn't even want to think of.

The inspector had recommended sandblasting. Stiles had done one of the things he did best, research.. Only to discover that sandblasting the entire building would cost thousands, probably tens of thousands. So he decided to try a short cut. Mary had suggested that the teen take up some tai chi to learn more grace and better control of his body.

Stiles had done just that until is best friend had spied him in the park with the few other practitioners and proceeded to tease him unmercifully. The teasing had irritated Stiles more than he let on. Stiles hadn't stopped he just carried on the tai-chi in private now. He had progressed to more aggressive and advanced katas at home, but he couldn't really push himself in the very limited space of his living room at home.

He was tempted due to the heat to remove his jeans as well due to the heat but decided against it. Opening the bag of sand, he poured it out on the wood floor. He decided to start in the far corner away from the door. He took the first stance and began his kata, his movements were fluid and smooth as he began the slow initial movements. As his muscles warmed he began the more complex motions and then mentally began weaving the spell to cause the sand to move with him. At first it just spun around his feet, before rising higher and higher around his body, it's movements becoming faster even as Stiles movements also became more quick.

As Stiles movements became more frenetic so did the movements of the sand. When he had reached a certain level of intensity he began to send the sand into the paint covered wall. The swift moving silica ate away at the layers of paint caked on the wall. Eating away at the layers of paint, dirt and grime just as he intended, Stiles was pleased with himself but didn't allow his focus to alter. He was able to multi-task as always, while he was able to maintain his fluid and powerful movements, he also continued to keep up the spell work.

He continued to move along the wall, but it wasn't just the walls he scoured the ceiling and wood floors were also sanded in the same way, though perhaps not as intensely. The magic made a kind of music in his head, a song that only he could hear and his body was following with its movements. He laughed as he continued to move around the room.

He was so focused on what he was doing, it took several minutes before he noticed he was no longer alone. What really grabbed his attention was the sound of someone clapping.

**XXXXXXXXX**

After his uncle had helped him move his things into the hotel room, and yes that still made him both hurt and angry. He had called around and found a storage unit available and rented that and a truck. He hadn't spoken to any of his other family members later that morning when he had returned to Hale house and used his key to let himself back into his former home.

His mother, Laura and his uncle were all at work. So were several of the others, you honesty couldn't even tell the fire had ever happened. No one ever really spoke of that night. He had testified but only in the judge's chambers to his part in what had happened and no one spoke of it ever again. Kate had been banned from any communication with him, which was just fine with him.

The fact that she had used him to get information on his family in order to kill them, would be something he would feel guilty about for the rest of his life. At the time his mother had insisted he wasn't to blame that the incident wasn't his fault, that Kate Argent and her conspirators were the only ones who were responsible for that dark night was still something he had trouble reconciling within himself.

They still never spoke of the night two strangers had saved their entire Pack and then just as quickly disappeared without explanation. Derek now wondered that wasn't because of him, if the Pack didn't really blame him and just kept quiet out of respect for the Alpha.

It was on his third trip of carrying boxes from his room out to the truck that his father came into the entry hall. "What do you think you're doing?" the older man said gruffly. Derek had looked at his father, his pa, and felt the sting of tears try to fight their way to the surface.

His own faded green eyes stared back at him as he said, "I thought you would be proud of me for surviving the attack of an Alpha Obviously I should have let him kill me. If I had known this would be my families reaction," Derek could only shrug as he carried the boxes past his father to the rented truck. He couldn't finish speaking to his father, the lump in his throat nearly choking him.

When he walked back into the entry way his father stood in the same place, slack jawed. Derek knew that while he was Alpha mate, his father wouldn't go against his mothers decisions. It's just not how it was done in his family, he froze mid-step as he corrected himself mentally. In the Hale pack, of which he was apparently no longer a part. He closed and locked the door behind him and went into his closet, he removed the magnet from the metal of the door jam and used it to open the concealed door in the floor in the back corner. He took out the lock box there.

Not bothering to open the metal box he put it and the magnet in the bottom of the cardboard box and sealed it with the masking tape He then reset the trap door in is closet before closing the closet door. He looked around the room and went to look out his window into the trees of the Preserve, one final time Then unlocking his bedroom door he headed down the stairs with the final box in his arms.

He stopped in front of his father, and without looking at him said in a cold tone, "I have a job to do in Beacon Hills, I'll do my best to stay out of the Preserve. Do me the kindness of not interfering if Cora wants to see me."

"That's not.." his father started.

Derek interrupted and actually flashed his red eyes at his father in anger accidentally, "Right, not my Pack anymore, funny thing no one bothered to mention it over the phone. But then you're out of the family is probably more a face to face thing isn't it. You the only one with the guts to say it to my face, pa?"

The green eyes of the older man was looking at anything but his son's face as he walked out the door past the rest of the Pack members in the house. He put the box on the seat beside him as he climbed into the cab of the truck. He finally looked back at his childhood home as he was driving away. His eyes stayed on the rearview mirror as he headed down the road that led out of the Preserve for as long as he could see the familiar edifice.

As soon as he reached the border of the Preserve he knew he needed some time before he headed back to the hotel. The storage place was one of those 24 hour establishments and well lighted so he could drop off his meager belongings anytime and the truck didn't have to be back until the next day He needed a place to think for a while, not public.

He pulled out his wallet and checked the address of the industrial site he was supposed to be helping to redesign. The area was isolated, had been abandoned for nearly two decades and since it was Saturday the entire Industrial Park area should be very quiet. Putting the truck in gear Derek headed in that direction.

When he pulled into the parking lot several minutes later, the newly minted Alpha was shocked to see an older model blue Jeep sitting in the parking lot. He dismissed it quickly enough as an abandoned vehicle. He rolled down the windows so the summer heat could warm his suddenly chilled bones. He recognized the symptoms of shock and impending grief. He had just lost his entire family, he felt…alone.

A flash of light caught his eye. Looking up Derek could have sworn he saw movement through a large bank of windows on one of the upper floors. His brows knit as Derek climbed out of the truck and locked the doors. It took him a couple of minutes before he found and unlocked the door to the place, as he climbed the stairs he extended his werewolf hearing. He heard a pounding heartbeat, the sound of feet moving sporadically, and a sound he couldn't really identify as anything other than a hissing sound constant and somewhat annoying. Derek found an old loft door, and the sounds were coming from behind that door.

He pulled the handle of the door and was shocked to find that the thing moved quietly and easily on a track that had apparently been recently greased. That didn't shock him as much as what he saw when he walked into the loft itself. Movement at the far end of the room drew the werewolves attention, the lithe almost too skinny form of a young man was going through a complicated but very precise series of movements.

The sight of sand dancing around him on air currents was the truly shocking part. When they were younger he and the other cubs of the pack were often told stories, either by the adults of the Pack or by Deaton his packs emissary of Sparks, witches, wizards, sorcerers, druids. Derek wasn't sure which kind he was looking at right now but he was definitely looking at one of a variety of magic users. And from the zing in the air, a zing not unlike a massive dose of static electricity, this guy was very powerful indeed.

He watched for several minutes as the male figure, who was mostly concealed by the whirling wind and sand, continued to move gracefully and skillfully. He realized a few things as he stood there watching, one the figure was extremely skilled and potentially quite deadly, two the young man was drawing the attention of his baser instincts.

The extremely short hair showed the beautiful lines of his head and face. His bare torso gleamed with sweat even as it showed the spare musculature to perfection. Whoever he was he definitely had a dancers frame and whoever he was he was very cleverly using his powers to remove graffiti, mold and filth from the walls with the whirling tornado of sand that spun around him. The younger man was going through a series of movements meant to show off his strength and flexibility in a series of gymnastic moves.

Derek began clapping in the middle of a set of one handed cartwheels. A set of large amber eyes flashed in the werewolves direction. He registered a cool wash of awareness even as the young man he had been watching was suddenly on his back and all of the sand that had been moving in the magically made sand storm suddenly fell on the sweat soaked body on the floor. Even as arms whipped up to cover an unprotected face.

The new Alpha rushed over to the slender young mans side. To find the formerly sweat covered skin was now covered in a rather heavy layer of sand and filth. Sputtering and coughing the eyes looked up at him in shock, "Ow, yeah, not embarrassing at all."

"You okay?" asked the werewolf with concern as he offered his hand to help the other man up from the floor. It was hard to determine age with the person covered in this much grime, he figured the younger man might be about his sister Cora's age. Thoughts of his younger sister were painful enough for him to avoid the thought and concentrate on the young man in front of him.

Short hair, very short almost shaved to the scalp. Which was admittedly making it easier for him to get the sand out of, sort of. A very expressive face, incredible amber colored eyes, a lean, muscled body, couldn't really tell with the jeans but the legs looked slim.

"Uhm yeah, just doing a little tai chi, kicked up a bit of dust. More than I expected, I have to say." The teen said, obviously trying to distract Derek from the fact that he was doing magic, as he shook his hand a little nervously.

"Really, is that what it was?" Derek said not able to keep the amused disbelief out of his voice.

"Yeah, I'm a master you know." Stiles said not looking into the older man's green eyes, "sometimes I don't even know my own power." Shaking the hand again.

Derek knit his brows, obviously the teen didn't know that he could hear the stutter in his heartbeat with the lie he was telling. But Derek could also smell the others distress and he didn't think it was the fear of discovery or even the distress some people felt over lying. "I would have said you were a master magic user, or at least a highly talented one."

Then he notices Stiles shake out the same wrist for the third time, and steps closer to the slightly sorter teen as he asks, "You hurt?"

"Naw, just dinged my wrist a bit," the brunette said dismissively, then added in a self-deprecating manner, "Which just proves I'm not a master at anything except being a klutz."

Derek made a quick decision, it was rather obvious that the only way to gain the kids trust was to prove he could be trusted to keep secrets. Gently he took the injured wrist and concentrated as he said, "I think I can help with that." Without another word, he starts drawing the teens pain, the black of the pain coursing through his veins as he did so.

Amber eyes met his own green ones in stunned surprise, as the younger man sighed in relief, "You're a supernatural, werewolf I'm guessing?" He framed it as a question but there was little doubt in his voice when he asked.

Derek merely nodded and when he had finished taking the pain he slid his hand down to shake the younger man's hand and said, "I'm Derek Hale. I'm supposed to help redesign this place."

"Stiles Stilinski, so am I, sort of," he said sheepishly as he shook the older mans hand.

"So witch, warlock, sorcerer, Spark, druid or other?" asked Derek, almost reluctant to draw his hand back.

"Spark, at least according to my godmother." said Stiles and then something caught his attention. "Did you say you're name was Hale?"

Derek stiffened almost imperceptibly but nodded his head. Stiles smiled cheerfully, "I think I know your sister, Cora."

The new Alpha relaxed and nodded his head and grinned, this may just be someone he could actually trust, he decided.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Laura Hale was enraged. She was drinking at the Overlook or as the humans called it Lover's Leap. She had purchased a bottle of Jack Daniels from the local liquor shop. Then added a few petals of the purple aconite. It gave the alcohol a strange hue but made it more effective on werewolf metabolism.

If her parents found out they would no doubt give her another lecture on the responsibilities of being a werewolf let alone an Alpha. She really wished that the lectures and lessons would stop and she could just start working on creating her own pack. She was in her mid-twenties now, eventually she'd have to take over the Hale Pack or create her own.

She sighed as she took a large gulp of the tainted Jack and enjoyed the buzz and burn of it as it went down. She looked out over Beacon Hills and contemplated what was really ticking her off. Derek, her younger brother, the one who was never supposed to be more than a Beta, was by some comical cosmic accident, an Alpha.

Not that she didn't love her brother, she did, but he was supposed to have eventually been her Beta, her second in command. Now her Alpha instincts were telling her to kill this rival who was in her territory. The fact that Cora and her Uncle Peter now smelled strongly of Derek. The fact that his smell was in Hale House, and the fact that her own father had been feeling miserable all day, just rankled.

The fact that she and her little sister had nearly come to blows this evening at dinner, had brought the wrath of her mother down on her head. She had questioned why Cora smelled too much like Derek and then had questioned Cora's loyalty to her. Cora had the audacity to stand up to her, shoving her older sister away from her she had said she would rather be Derek's beta because she knew he would actually care if something happened to her, Laura not so much.

When Laura had reminded her sister, "The safety of the Pack is more important than one member."

Cora had responded, "The Pack is made up of individuals. Obedience to the Alpha is instinct, loyalty is earned. So far you haven't earned mine as an Alpha, and you're starting to lose it as a sister. Think about that sis." she said harshly and then turning to her father not her mother and had asked, "May I be excused?" When her father nodded his assent she was out of the dining room and the house like a flash.

When Laura rose from her chair to follow, her mother had used her Alpha tone to tell her to sit back down. Laura's own Alpha wolf tried to resist but her mother was still her Alpha. When she started to argue with her mother, a bone chilling silence had fallen all around the table. Laura's tongue had frozen to the roof of her suddenly dry mouth. Reminding her that you never argued with your Alpha, about anything. Even if she was your mother.

Her mother hadn't really told Laura anything she hadn't heard before. That it was, her, Laura, that Talia Hale had chosen as successor, not Derek. That while Derek was an Alpha he was no longer really welcome in the Hale Pack because of said status. Her father had looked very angry at that and had without permission left the table. Her mother in turn had looked very unhappy, but then had let the cold face of the Alpha slide into place as she continued to lecture her eldest on Alpha etiquette.

Laura snorted to herself, as she remembered her mother's expression when her father had relocated to the guest room, after dinner. Laura and everyone else in the pack knew it was only temporary. The Alpha pair were too much in love for it to be any other way.

The fact that her stupid younger brother was the cause of all this still ticked her off mightily. She started to take another gulp of the Jack Daniels and realized that the bottle was three-fourths of the way gone. Laura also realized that the tainted alcohol must be affecting her more than she originally thought because she was just now hearing someone coming up the path to the Overlook.

The young man who emerged from the tree line was handsome, actually incredibly handsome. Blonde haired, blue-eyed and a facial structure that most sculptors would weep over trying to imitate. The scent of his distress was also obvious to her werewolf senses once her mind cleared enough from the wolves bane laced alcohol to notice.

Laura stood so the young man would notice her. He did even in the limited moonlight and his distress ratcheted up, but he pasted a charming and undoubtedly heartbreaking smile on his face as he stepped forward. "Hey, sorry to intrude, I just really didn't think anyone would be up here this late, even on a Saturday night."

"Yeah, well don't feel bad, neither did I. Trying to get rid of a bad day," she said waving he bottle around. "Care to join me?"

"Is it working?" the young man asked, stepping closer to Laura to take the bottle from her outstretched fist.

Laura hummed at the blond as she considered her answer, "Not so far, but one can always hope."

The handsome male nodded his head and said, "Here's to forgetting," and took a drink of the fiery liquid." He then stared at it for a minute and muttered something the she wolf didn't quite catch.

Laura merely took the bottle back and took a drink herself. The pair then sat down beside each other and admired the view as they shared the remaining alcohol with most of it going to the young man.

The werewolf then proceeded to unburden herself to the younger man, albeit a highly modified version of events. Her being the chosen heir and suddenly her brother coming back to try and take over and some of the family was on her side and some on his.

"At least, you know your parents. Your real parents I mean. I'm adopted. Mine were killed when I was really young. I'll never know them or what they were like, or what I'm supposed to be like." he said as he stared into the nearly empty liquor bottle. "I don't know what my adoptive parents want me to be, so I'm trying to be perfect. Problem, is perfect is kind of….I kind of come off like an ass most of the time, because being perfect means being around the right people which are other perfect people."

"Personally I think there are two sides to being perfect. One people are born the way they're intended to be and that should be perfect enough for everyone. Two other peoples perfect is kind of hard to achieve because every ones idea of perfect is different…and you know you can't please everybody, so you should only try to please yourself. Which it kind of sounds like you're not pleased with right now." Laura said before realizing that if she could sound that coherent after nearly a whole bottle of baned whiskey, she really hadn't brought enough alcohol with her.

The blond male said, "You sound just like Stilinski, he said pretty much the same thing when he was yelling at me the other day." He laughed as he drank the very last of the Jack Daniels, then coughed slightly as though he'd gotten choked on something and then spat something out into the palm of his hand. A couple of purple petals twisted together.

Laura suddenly had a flash of realization as he said, "What the hell is this?" Wolvesbane, aconite, wasn't just poisonous to wolves, it could be poisonous, deadly even to humans. Her mother would kill her if this kid died from aconite poisoning. Without thought Laura leaned forward and said, "I'd like to give you a gift, may I?" It was a very shortened version of what they were supposed to ask when they offered the bite to someone, but depending on how much aconite he had taken in she had to work fast.

The alcohol addled kid gave her his charming smile again and said, "Sure, what is it?" Instead of answering, Laura showed him. She wasn't sure if it was shock or the alcohol maybe, but the teen didn't make a sound at first. Then there was a whining cry of pain, that erupted from his lips as the empty bottle crashed on a rock beside him.

Laura laid him gently on the ground as he seemed to lose consciousness. She sat with him for an hour or so when she realized the sun was coming up and that her mother would know something was up if she didn't get back home before dawn. Laura really wasn't sure how her mother would react if she found out that Laura had bitten her first Beta without her mothers permission. Giving the young man a kiss on the forehead she whispered, "Be strong baby beta."

Then shifting into her own beta form she ran down the trail that led to the Overlook. Using her werewolf senses to avoid stumbling in the dark.

Meanwhile back at the Overlook, Jackson Whittemore as going through another life changing event. The second in as many weeks. While he dreamed some really strange dreams about wolves and the moon and other weird things, though there was a scent that stuck with him over the strange smell of the whiskey he had consumed. The scent was clean, calming and yet exciting, the scent said home to him. For a young man who had just had his life turned upside down, that was very important to him. Somewhere deep in his sleep-addled, alcohol infused, werewolf changing body and mind, a small growl sounded, "Mate."

**A/N/N~ So having some technical difficulties with keys sticking on my keyboard. Particularly g,t,h, etc, So any errors you found because of this I apologize for. Yes I did try applying compressed air and it did help but didn't eliminate the problem entirely. I have double-proofed so hopefully I caught everything. Love and affection. ~A**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N~ So I'm not going to say that this book is going to be six chapters like the others, cause I can already tell that it won't be. I just hope that everyone will enjoy it. So let me know if you do, by reviewing. Let me know guys, so I can write faster and better. ~A **

**Chapter 20B**

Peter was standing with Mellissa McCall when they came in. Her son was being half-carried by an attractive brunette. The boy was gasping for breath as the young woman was carefully supporting him while trying to keep his arm immobile. "Scott," Mellissa cried, "what happened?"

"I was running in the woods, you know trying to work up my stamina for lacrosse practice and I took a misstep and fell down an embankment and into the road."

"Yeah right in front of our car," said the brunette. "Luckily my mom has really good reflexes and swerved to miss him."

"So what happened to your arm, Scott?" asked Peter as he moved closer to the trio. He startled just slightly as he moved closer to the young woman. Her scent was oddly familiar.

"Don't know, I did it when I fell down the hill. I hope it's only sprained. Sorry mom, this is Allison she and her mom helped me and drove me into the hospital." said the teen with a slight pout about his arm.

"Let's go have a look shall we?" Peter said leading them to one of the exam rooms. "Ruby," he said to one of the other admission staff, "please have Mrs., sorry what's your mothers name?"

"Argent, Victoria Argent." the brunette offered helpfully. Luckily she was concentrating on the injured teenager and didn't see the doctor freeze in his tracks, for a split second or his eyes flash amber.

"Please send her on through, Ruby." Peter said before joining the trio in the exam room.

"Yes doctor," the clerk replied cheerily.

Peter went to Scott and had him extend his arm, explain where the pain was, he then had him do a few exercises, to pinpoint the source of the pain. He had the boy try and lift a heavy book which he could only manage to do for a few inches. Allison managed to catch the book with Peter as it fell from Scott's nerveless fingers.

"Guess your mother isn't the only one with quick reflexes," Peter said in a friendly tone. He put the book back on the counter and turned back to Scott and said, "We'll need x-rays but I don't think it's broken. I'm hopeful it's just a really bad sprain though. Possibly a pulled ligament. If I'm right we can give you a brace and get you started on physical therapy, in the meantime though you'll need to take a break on lacrosse practice for the summer. However you should still be able to do your running. Just maybe during daylight hours on a track. Not after dark in the woods." Peter offered helpfully.

"Yes the woods can be a dangerous place after dark," offered a cheerful feminine voice. The inhabitants of the room turned to find a woman with bright red hair cut into a rather severe style had entered the room. She was dressed very fashionably, if conservatively, and Peter saw Mellissa stand a little straighter.

The woman carried the same familiar scent as the teenaged girl. A scent that Peter definitely recognized, his wolf nearly howled with bittersweet emotion as he agreed, "Quite right, Ms. Argent is it?"

"It's Mrs., actually. So how is your patient doctor?" There was no mistaking that the older woman was fishing for his name but Peter ignored it.

"Hopefully, he'll be fine luckily young people are more flexible and resilient. Give me a few minutes and we'll see if we can't get him in and out of x-ray Mellissa." he said before stepping back out of the exam room.

He quickly made the call to x-ray and scheduled the test for 15 minutes from now. He also surreptitiously worked it out with Ruby that the McCall's would only be billed for 10% of the hospital visit. It was becoming standard practice that if any of the staff had a family emergency Dr. Hale would help take care of it. It annoyed the crap out of the administrator, but as long as the bills got paid he couldn't really complain about it too much.

He had just finished working things out about the billing when the Argent women walked out of the exam room. He turned to smile a charming smile at the young brunette and said, "You did very well in keeping the arm immobile Ms Allison. I think you'd make an excellent physician's assistant someday." He offered the compliment sincerely, and wasn't surprised at all when the girls mother interrupted.

"My daughter will follow in the family business," the elder Argent said sharply.

"Our loss," he said easily, "a pleasure to meet you both ladies," he said offering his hand. Allison first with a courtly bow and mock kiss to the back of the hand, A firm handshake to the older woman, before turning back to the exam room.

"Oh doctor, do you have a private practice as well? We've only just moved here and I was wondering if you could recommend a general practitioner." Victoria Argent asked and Peter really felt his skin crawl at the avaricious look the woman was giving him.

He couldn't be happier about his career choice as he responded, "Dr. Russell Stanley. He is an excellent general practitioner. Unfortunately I'm a surgeon, I rotate through the E.R. on nights one week a month. Tell him I referred you." he said with a charming smile.

"But doctor," Victoria said with what Peter imagined she thought of as a beguiling pout. "You never mentioned your name."

"Didn't I?" Peter asked thoughtfully and at her head shake to the negative he replied, "It's Hale, Dr. Peter Hale." He saw the barb hit home, whether because of Kate or Chris he didn't know, and right now he couldn't care less. There was only one Argent he had ever cared about and that one had abandoned him years ago, he thought as he ducked back into the exam room.

His last thought as he checked on his patient, was that his sister wouldn't be pleased that there were Argents back in Beacon Hills.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**A week later: **The only thing that Cora liked about summer school was the facts that it was quieter and a lot less crowded than during normal school. It was one of the reasons she had actually requested it. That and like her brother Derek she kind of wanted to get out from under the Packs thumb.

When the school principal had discovered that it was advancement and not failing grades that had brought her to summer school. He had given her some unusual freedoms. A key to the chemistry lab among those freedoms. Her friend wasn't adverse to making use of those freedoms as well. Especially if it got them through chemistry class without killing the man, well okay she was the one who had opted for killing the man. Not Danny.

The courts had apparently given Mr. Harris probation, when he had admitted that yes he had talked to a woman about getting away with arson in a bar one evening. He had prefaced that with saying he had not known that she would go out and actually try to kill someone with that knowledge.

Cora didn't think he deserved the leniency especially when he had in not so subtle ways tried to torture her for actually being accused of conspiracy to commit arson. Personally there were days when the only thing that kept her from ripping the mans throat out were the thoughts of revenge she and her best friend dreamed up. Speaking of.

"Plan 247 of how to get Harris," said a masculine voice from the doorway of the chem lab before closing the door behind him. "Turn off the air conditioning to his class room," he said as he slid onto the stool across the work surface from her.

Cora smiled at him as she said, "Pass, couldn't live with the guilt of all those seniors in remedial biology dying of heat stroke right along with him." She said tossing the back of her hand to her forehead and mimicking a dramatic swoon. Danny actually cackled, his dimples showing as his eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Yeah, okay I can actually see that. So if we're not killing the chem teacher what are we going to do today Brain," he said cheerfully.

"Why what we do everyday, Pinky. Try to take over the world." Cora recited the well practiced lines. Before carefully applying the chemicals to the metal in the beaker. While the odor was revolting the result was gratifying, as the metal began to dissolve quickly. "Now for the stress test," she said before holding her wrist over the beaker and pouring the liquid onto her skin. Thankfully nothing happened.

"Yay, no horrible maiming or scarring today that's always a good thing right?" Danny asked cheerfully.

"Yep, it's a positive," Cora said with subdued enthusiasm.

Danny recognizing the signs replied, "So how are things at Pack central?"

"Unusually ferocious considering how far away the next full moon still is," Cora said as she wrote down her observations in her notebook meticulously. When she was done she began putting things away and preparing for the next experiment.

"Because?" he drew out the one word.

She finally answered the other teen, "My brother Derek is back in town. Only since he killed that rogue Alpha a few weeks ago, now he's an Alpha too. Laura doesn't like it and is having a fit over it. I mean literally. Mom has practically disowned him over night. The rest of the pack is following her say of course, I don't know, it just seems wrong to me. Pack is supposed to take care of Pack, not throw them out. I mean what was he supposed to do let the guy rip him apart?" The smaller woman shrugged her shoulders morosely before deciding to change the subject.

"So how are things going with you so far this summer, Mr. Mahealani?" she said a little more cheerfully than was totally necessary.

"Good of course Jackson and Lydia are off again. He says she's too controlling and she is and she says he's a total jock, which he's not. So yeah pretty much normal for them. Actually caught Matt sexting while he was over at my place for a date night, the other night. He tried to deny it, only he had actually sent me one of the sex texts with the girls name on it."

"I would say the plot thickens but in this case it just became more transparent, so what did he want from you?" Cora asked the other teen.

"Wanted me to look up information on former swim team members," he said with a shrug. "Kind of intense about it actually, wouldn't really tell me why or anything."

"I hate people like that. Want to know what I really think is sad, though?" the teenager said thoughtfully as she set up beakers for her next experiment. "Lydia."

"Lydia, Lydia Martin?" Danny asked dumbfounded, "What's sad about being the most popular girl in school?"

"Because once you become the most popular girl in school, there's nowhere to go but down. When you get to that point you will do just about anything to stay in that position. Just seems like a lot of pressure, a lot of work and probably a hell of a lot of acting to stay in that fishbowl." Cora said thoughtfully.

"I mean seriously think about it. I've seen her grades, she is really smart and doesn't seem to have to try. Yet every single day she acts like she some kind of ditz and if your friends in on it he's not doing her any favors." she said as she looked at her hand shake slightly as she tried to light the Bunsen burner.

Danny's hand closed over her own holding the igniter. "I got it," the taller teen said helpfully. Cora pulled in a few deep steadying breaths before she let it go.

"Thanks," she whispered, as she put her shaking hand in her lap. He quickly lit the burner and adjusted the flame swiftly and precisely.

Looking at her with concern the Hawaiian offered carefully, "So fire is still kind of an issue for you?"

"Yeah those counselors, therapists whatever you want to call them, they say it's always going to be a thing for me. Great a chemical engineer who can't even light a Bunsen burner," then she looked over at her friend and offered him a winsome smile and continued their previous conversation.

"That's what I'm talking about though, Lydia could be a great inspiration to young girls who are just starting out trying to decide if they should be pretty and popular or smart and plain. She could show that you can be both of either. You can be pretty and smart, you can be plain and popular. Heck I'm plain and boring but I still have friends."

"Cora?!" Danny said with an awed grin as he said, "You're a political activist, your mom will be so proud.

The young woman groaned dramatically and smacked her head down on the counter. "Good grief, the last thing I want is my mom being aware of anything to do with me and politics, chemistry or anything else. She'll think I'm ambitious, that I'm worthy of her time and attention. Then it'll be study this, associate with them, and whatever plan she has for me will practically write itself…it just won't be my plan."

Neither of them noticed the flash of red hair moving away from the window in the classroom door.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek moved though the cemetery confidently, avoiding the roots of that tree and the slightly raised edge of the family plot marker for the Donahue's. He had to remind himself not to crush the delicate stems of the daisies he carried. Paige's favorite flowers.

Unerringly he found her tombstone even in the dark, he placed his hand on the rough top of the marker. He then knelt and unscrewed the bronze urn, dumping the dried flowers out of it. He was saddened to see that they were the same ones he had placed in the heavy vase several months ago, on his last visit. The last time he had visited his family and her grave.

"Hey, on the positive side," he whispered softly, "I'm going to be visiting more often, for a while. On the negative side after this job is over I may not be able to visit ever again." He then proceeded to tell the dead girl what had been happening for the past few months since his last visit. Things he had learned, friends he had made, lovers he'd had. He had just finished when he had heard a loud argument nearby.

He moved away from the grave and wondered who would be yelling in a cemetery in the middle of the night. He saw an older man and a teen preparing a new gravesite in the cemetery. The man was yelling at the younger one, almost incandescent with rage because a shovel handle had been broken with the large earthmover had run over it.

Derek didn't understand what the big deal was, having worked at many construction sites over the past year or so. He knew accidents happened, equipment got broken. Tool handles were usually less than ten dollars, at hardware stores.

Then Derek saw the older man grab the teen by the arm in what was obviously a brutally painful grip and dragged the boy out of the cemetery. The werewolf had no idea what prompted him to follow the pair the two blocks to what was obviously their home.

He heard the impacts of skin on skin and the yelps and pained cries that obviously came from the younger man. It didn't take long before Derek had heard enough. He walked up the cracked pavement of the sidewalk and pounded on the door. It was at that moment he realized what a bad idea this was. He wasn't concerned for himself, thank goodness for werewolf healing. The younger man though might be punished for his interference.

The sound of the door opening taunted him as he realized he had no idea what he was doing. "Good evening sir, I apologize for the late hour, but I heard someone screaming. I wanted to make sure that everyone here is fine."

"Good Samaritan huh?" the older man sneered at Derek before saying, "Everyone's fine here, we don't need any help thanks." he said before trying to slam the door in Derek's face.

Derek was faster though and stuck his foot in front of the door to stop it. "And the boy? Is he also alright sir?"

The man's face was more suspicious and darker as he replied, "And how do you know about that troublemaker?"

Derek thought fast, "I'd seen him around and wanted to offer him a job on the project I've been contracted for. I understand he's good with tools and even knows how to run some heavy equipment. Wanted to see if he might be interested and then I heard the screaming, thought I should check. So may I speak to him?"

"He's fine," the older man repeated, "he's not interested in the job. He already has one and no you may not see him. Now get off my property before I call the cops." He said rather loudly as he shoved Derek's foot out the door with his own foot and slammed the door in his face. Derek didn't move for several minutes, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully for a minute.

He didn't hear any more yelling for several minutes. As a matter of fact except for the sound of a program on the T.V. inside their was no other sound for several minutes. That was even more disturbing to the werewolf than the obvious sounds of abuse from before. Not knowing, let the imagination run wild and he didn't like any of the things his imagination was coming up with.

Walking back the way he had come he considered for a split second not getting involved and then he remembered the young man he had met a few weeks earlier. Stiles. He imagined that teenager in the same situation as the much taller and more muscular individual trapped in the house he had just left. It revolted him.

Orienting himself by the street signs at the end of the street, Derek headed in the direction of the Sheriff's department, hoping it hadn't moved in the past several months. Derek wished he had brought his car. The cemetery and florist were all within walking distance of his hotel though, so he hadn't.

The hotel was in the opposite direction of the Beacon Hills sheriffs department though. He realized again what might be going on inside that house while he was getting help and he began using his werewolf speed to get to the Sheriff's office.

When he got to the parking lot he slowed to a more normal pace so that he hopefully wouldn't draw too much attention to himself. He was surprised to see the Sheriff himself behind the front desk when he entered the building. Although older he recognized him from when his former lover/rapist had tried to emolate his home and his entire family.

Although he himself had never met their mysterious saviors from that night, he had met this man. At the time he'd been a deputy and the horror story that had been Kate, and her pals, had contributed greatly to his being elected to be Sheriff of their small town. That and the care and consideration he had given their family that night and in the following weeks had earned the then slightly damaged but impressionable teens immense respect.

Derek went to the desk and gasped slightly as he spoke telling the Sheriff what he had seen and heard. When the sheriff asked Derek, who he recognized, to describe the pair, it only took the description of the older man before the light haired sheriff's face had darkened in recognition, "Lahey."

Without another word from Derek he called for two of his deputies. One was a stocky male with a pug nose and mean expression on his face. The other was an attractive African American woman who made the polyester uniform look as if it were tailor made for her frame, her smile was warm and friendly.

The Sheriff had Derek get into the front seat of his patrol car with him and the deputies were in a car behind them. When they arrived back at the Lahey home without the sheriff needing any direction from Derek he figured the older man had made the trip here on several occasions.

He pounded on the door and waited only a moment before he pounded again. Several minutes later and after a great deal more and angrier pounding from the sheriff, the porch light came on and a very angry looking Lahey answered the door. When he saw the Sheriff he tried to screw his face in to a more amiable expression, it didn't work. Then he saw Derek and his face changed into a very ugly expression as he lunged for the younger man.

Derek heard the weak screams from inside the house and without waiting for the law enforcement and yelled, "Kid, kid where are you? I hear you, where are you? I'm coming." Then he heard the pounding from downstairs, and over the yells of the deputies, he pounded down the basement stairs. Followed closely by the sheriff. The pounding and screaming was coming from a large chest freezer that had a lock on the lid. Luckily the lock wasn't closed and Derek reached for it before his arm is caught by the Sheriff.

He started to berate the older man when he saw him pulling on gloves. He waited impatiently as the man took the lock off carefully. Without waiting any longer, Derek used the edge of his jacket sleeves to lift the lid of the box freezer. The young man inside gave a shriek of fear. Derek spoke to him soothingly and feeling surprisingly protective, he reached in and actually lifted the younger man out of the freezer.

Holding him close he spoke to the boy, as he held him close. The teen still shivered but had stopped screaming, and was clutching the werewolves dark t-shirt in his fist. "You're fine. I've got you." Then he heard someone clear their throat and looked up to find the sheriff and the female deputy standing there watching.

Derek felt the wolf within him growl protectively. He just managed not to make the sound or flash his eyes at the pair but while the woman was gazing at him with approval the older man was staring at him with open curiosity and perhaps just a hint of suspicion.

Deputy Graeme said, "Is Issac ready to come upstairs we have some EMT's here who should probably check him out?"

Issac, all this and he hadn't even known the boys name until now. Something told him his wolf had already chosen it's first pack member. He looked down at the shocky teen and asked quietly, soothingly, "Issac, are you ready to go upstairs yet? I'm sure the sheriff and his men have moved your father out of the house by now, don't you think you might feel better upstairs? You could grab a few things, some clothes that sort of thing."

The boy looked up and his gaze was panicked again before Derek added matter-of-factly, "You'll be staying with me until they can find any family you may have and if they can't find your family, we'll work out something a little more permanent. That is, if you don't mind staying with me?"

The teen nodded his head so vigorously, Derek was half afraid his head might just snap off. Derek gave a little smile before becoming serious again and saying, "First though we need to make it upstairs, think you can handle that?"

Issac finally spoke as he said, "Dad's not up there?" He directed the question to Derek but it was the sheriff who answered.

"No your father is on his way to the station," then he added in official tones, "We'll need to get your statement of course, but so far we're charging him with child abuse and neglect, reckless endangerment and unless that thing has air holes or something, attempted murder. Also if this isn't the first time, it's going to run into multiple counts."

"It isn't the first time." the boy said quietly but firmly, "It's been happening since my mom died when I was eight."

"How old are you now Issac?" Derek asked and there was a note to his voice that had the sheriff looking at him a little worriedly. It was a gut punch to the trio of adults that the teen actually had to think about it. Derek wondered not only how long it had been since the teen had celebrated a birthday but Christmas, Halloween, any holiday or had any happy events in his life..

"I turned fifteen, two months ago." he said as he worked his way up the stairs carefully. Followed closely by the trio of adults. When he saw that his father was indeed not in the house, the stiff movements of the teenager seemed to relax slightly. As he went into his room to retrieve clothes and personal items to take with him it apparently gave the sheriff time to not so subtly question Derek or more precisely his motives for taking Issac in..

"Mr. Hale perhaps you can explain to me, why you just risked your life to save someone you claim not to know and now you're willing to take someone in you say you've never met before. A very young, very traumatized teenager."

"Because it's the right thing to do. The man who was supposed to protect and cherish that boy instead turned into the monster hiding under the bed. Only he was real and there 24/7. I'm going to make sure that man never goes near Issac again." Derek hissed vehemently while listening out for the teen with his werewolf hearing."

The sheriff played devils advocate as he replied, "He is the boys father."

"No, he's not. He gave up the right to be Issac's father the first time he raised his hand to that child." Before the sheriff could say anything else, Derek raised his hand to the older man. It took another minute before the sheriff heard Issac coming down the stairs, lugging a large sports bag and a backpack full of schoolbooks. Leaving John Stilinski to wonder how the Hale boy had heard the teen coming.

"Hope you're not too tired, Issac, and that you like writing. I have a feeling you and I are going to do more paperwork than you probably get assigned in two weeks of school." he said as he gently clapped the boy on the shoulder. The younger boy flinched but didn't shy away as they headed out to the patrol car.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek heard the Sheriff groan under his breath as they reached the police station. Derek saw the news van for one of the local stations and figured that must be why. Slipping out of his jacket, he told Issac, "Leave your stuff in the car for now, we'll get it later. I want you to put this over your head, so they can't see you. Stay close to me, ok?" The teen nodded looking panicked again.

When they pulled to a stop in front of the station house. The sheriff got on the other side of Issac, although the boy instinctively moved closer to Derek between the two of them they flanked Issac into the sheriff station and were so fast the reporters barely got off a question or a shot of the boy.

Tara managed to stop the reporters from following the trio into the building and was reading the reporters the riot act if the yelling Derek heard was any indication. They were walking further into the station when a pair of teens popped out of a nearby office. Issac who had just slipped the leather jacket off of his head, startled back into Derek.

The sheriff seeing both movements gave a surprisingly impressive growl as Derek recognized one of the two boys. "Stiles. Scott. What are you two doing here, in my office, at this hour of the night, on a school night?"

Derek had no idea what possessed him to say, " I called him, well Stiles anyway. I thought Issac might be a little more comfortable around more familiar faces." he lied boldly. Certain that the sheriff knew he was lying to him when Stiles picked up the thread.

"Dad, one it's summer break, two like Derek said he called, we came. The reporters were already outside when we got here so we came in the back way and stayed in your office until you got here so we wouldn't be in the way. Hi, Issac."

To their credit, the blond teen didn't look half panicked anymore. Now because of Stiles somewhat long winded ramble he looked more confused than afraid. Derek patted the younger man reassuringly on the back before looking at the Sheriff expectantly and a little too innocently as he said, "So Sheriff, paperwork, where should we start?"

The Sheriff's eyebrows knit in suspicion as he looked at the four younger men and finally said, "Follow me." He led them all to a rather odd little room set off to the side of the building. It looked to have a kitchenette, no windows and a long table with a rubberized looking table cloth. "Have a seat, I'll be right back."

The four young men actually stood around the table a little awkwardly Before Stiles said, "So Derek this is Scott, my best friend. Scott this is Derek, new friend. Everyone this is Issac who needs friends right now and hopefully later as well. I am Stiles of course who everyone knows and loves, any questions?" Derek actually snorted a little.

Issac gave a small grateful smile to the other teen. Scott just shook his head at his friend and said, "Smooth Stiles, really smooth." The quartet then sat down at the table and were talking quietly, when the sheriff came back in with a sheaf of papers and a couple of pens in his hands. He divided the papers between Issac and Derek and they found themselves with an inch high stack of papers to fill out.

The sheriff stood there with his arms crossed looking severe until Stiles rolled his eyes as the older man. "Dad we're not going to run off with Issac, before we fill out the paperwork. It's tempting," he added indicating the stacks of paper in front of Derek and Issac, "but we're not going to do it. Plus I'm pretty sure you have paperwork and other stuff of your own to do. Interrogations, bright lights and rubber hoses, you know that sort of thing. We've got this."

The older man glared but finally relented and uncrossing his arms, pointed sternly at his son, as he said, "No funny business," before stepping out of the break room. Before the door was even closed Stiles had grabbed a stack of papers out of Derek's pile and after a moments hesitation, Scott did the same for Issac.

Both Derek and Issac watched as the two teens started filling out the paperwork expertly as though they had done it several times before. "What?" Stiles said after several minutes of staring. "How do you think I learned to forge my dad's signature from the time I was ten?" He said without looking up from the papers he was filing out. Derek didn't even think to ask how the teen knew his date of birth, his address, even how much money he made monthly.

"Get to work filling out the papers, before the sheriff gets back. Last time he caught us doing something like this, it wasn't good." Scott suggested, looking nervously at the door. "Besides if I'm not home in the morning when Mom gets home, she'll probably skin me alive."

Everyone went back to filling out the paperwork. When just a half hour later Derek and Issac came out of the break room, with their stacks of paperwork competed. The sheriff looked at the two other teens suspiciously.

"So when I check these out later I'm not going to find your handwriting on them right?" The older man questioned sternly.

"Of course not dad," Stiles said in an insulted tone. The sheriff nodded and walked away before he son could continue, "I'm much too skilled for that." he said with a self-deprecating shrug.

Scott said, with an answering smirk to his pseudo-brother, "I'm gonna head home. What time are we meeting up tomorrow?"

"You mean later today, how bout 11:00 am. Gives us a little sleep." Scott nodded and gave a little wave as he headed down the station steps. Stiles turned back to the confused pair and said, "You guys are totally confused huh?"

Derek scowled but Issac just nodded. "We have to find you a place to live. You're a guardian now. A hotel no matter how nice is still a hotel. So we have to find you and your youthful ward a more permanent place to stay. Get it set up and livable immediately or Child Services will yank Issac and put him in foster care or worse. So meet me where we first met, tomorrow around eleven. Sleep well guys. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow." Said the teen as he headed down the steps too. Then when he reached his Jeep he looked around and said, "Hale, where's your car?"

"The cemetery," Derek answered, a little defensively.

"Why is your car at the…." Seeing the older mans eyebrows knit together, Stiles decided to be the bigger man and not continue that line of questioning. "So you still got your keys?"

Derek drew the key out of his pocket and Stiles said, "Get in and I'll take you to your car."

"I don't want to…" the Alpha began.

This time Stiles couldn't help saying grouchily, "Hale it's after two in the morning. You really think as your first act as Issac's guardian your gonna make him walk at east forty-five minutes to a cemetery, at this time of the morning? The answer you are looking for is a resounding NO! Followed closely by some variation of Thank you Stiles. That would be great Stiles. You're wonderful Stiles and I want to have your babies. Now get in the Jeep."

As they headed for the cemetery Stiles told them his plan, namely Derek and Issac were going to be the first residents of the industrial building. It only took two minutes of driving before the trauma of the day caught up with Issac and he was fast asleep in the back of the Jeep.

"So we get there at eleven and what time are you going to get there?" Derek asked.

"Nine," Stiles responded honestly. "Gotta finish making it livable then, going to do a little mojo to make sure the electrical, plumbing and air work."

"Mojo?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Euphemism for magic. Until we get the crew in there next week, yeah. It'll have to be mojo unless your engineering skills extend to hotwiring all of that?" At the werewolves sheepish expression, Stiles merely smiled and said, "Yeah I didn't think so."

They had reached the cemetery and Stiles pulled up beside the Camaro. When he reached back to wake up Issac, Derek grabbed his hand and said, "Never try to wake up a trauma victim by touching them." Stiles saw why when Derek called Issac's name. The teen startled awake violently and only after a couple minutes of the pair in the front seat talking him down was the teen able to recover enough to transfer himself and his belongings to the other vehicle.

"Thanks for the ride Stiles, see you tomorrow.." he said with a wave.

"Yeah, see you later Sourwolf," Stiles couldn't really shake the strange feeling of déjà vu' he felt as he headed home.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**A week later: **Cora was in the Hot Topic of the mall the next town over. She was not shopping for herself but for her new unofficially adopted brother Issac. Derek had asked her and Peter to join him in explaining werewolves and the supernatural to the boy.

The fact that his father was trying to make bail had only increased the number and intensity of the teens nightmares. Derek had decided that he didn't want the boy to feel defenseless or vulnerable any longer. So he had decided to give him the bite. The trio had sat the boy down and had the conversation with him. Peter had shifted to show the boy that they weren't all crazy and of course they had warned him ahead of time.

To his credit after being shown the evidence that the things under the bed were real, Issac had handled it surprisingly well. Of course the fact that he had lived with his own version of a monster probably .helped. Then when he had asked if he could think about it. Both Derek and Peter had told him he was very mature for taking the time to do so. Cora thought she was the only one to see the hidden fear and when the other two men had left to pick up some take-out, she had talked with Issac.

"You're not like him," she had said reassuringly. The fact that Issac was a minor, meant he and his fathers names were kept out of the press. The fact that Beacon Hills was a very small town meant that by the end of the weekend everyone knew what had happened.

"You don't know that," Issac replied, "I'm not now but maybe deep down I'm just like him."

"The fact that you're thinking about it and that you're afraid of what you might do, proves your nothing like him. The fact you're thinking about it instead of saying yes instantly. Then going to get your revenge on the bastard proves it too." Cora said boldly

The teen had actually smiled gratefully at her. Since that night he actually called Cora sis. He had decided last night that he wanted the bite but wanted to wait till after the full moon which was coming up in a week. Cora being the good not by blood sister had decided her new brother needed a new wardrobe and was currently shopping for just that purpose, with her Uncle Peter's credit card of course.

It took several minutes before she realized that she was being stalked. Two aisles over and ten feet back. A flash of red hair caught her eye and kept her attention though Cora was fairly sure that wasn't Lydia's intention.

The red head looked very out of place in the mostly goth store. Her pale blue peasant blouse stood out like a sore thumb. The fact that the other girl followed Cora for an entire circuit around the store, proved her first suspicion was true. Lydia Martin was following her, Cora Hale, teenage outcast of Beacon Hills for some reason.

Not one to beat around the bush Cora used just a touch of werewolf speed to reach the other woman's side. "You know if you're going for a new look, I really wouldn't do goth. I mean don't get me wrong with your pale skin and red hair you could pull it off. But I could see it going one of two ways." she said trapping the teen in the aisle as she spoke.

"Either the entire teenaged population of Beacon Hills would go goth, not so good for the mental health of the parents, but the revenue generated for the goth clothing shops and psychiatrists in the area could change the economy dramatically, Or two your popularity drops which of course will destabilize the teen hierarchy of Beacon Hills, potentially causing confusion, dissension in the ranks, and chaos." she gave a cool smile, "So which effect were you going for?"

Lydia instead of rising to the challenge that Cora was obviously trying to instigate said, "Is it true that your brother has kind of adopted Issac?"

Instantly her protective instincts kicked in and Cora said in a more hostile tone, "What if it is?"

"No, I think it's great," the girl said raising her hands in a placating gesture. The other teen toned down her protectiveness. As she felt her wolf begin to stir under the skin, it was too close to the full moon for her to lose control.

She drew a deep breath and said, "Yeah, it's early yet for him to be starting a family, but I think he'll make a great Al…uh dad."

"I think I vaguely remember him and he was pretty handsome. Does he have someone in his life?" Lydia asked and her voice was candid and Cora couldn't detect anything inappropriate in her voice. No avarice, no jealousy, nothing except honest curiosity.

Cora said, "I haven't really gotten to speak to him a lot since he got back. He's been working on remodeling that place on Industrial Park Way that they're turning into loft apartments. I don't even know who he's working for yet. But no as far as I know, no significant other right now." Cora then smiled as she remembered to put the top back she had been looking at for Issac. Why are you interested?" She asked and headed instead over to the jeans.

"No, no." Lydia said thoughtfully, "Although he is cute from what I remember, and I am single right now, he's older, and a guy who has a kid, even to foster who's my age… That would kind of be a little weird to me. Plus I kind of still want to be a teenager."

"I do have a friend that I'd like to introduce him to though." she said seeming to become more relaxed slightly as they talked. Although Cora did kind of take offense when she took the artfully deconstructed faded jeans she was holding and traded them out for what looked like black bootleg jeans. When Lydia saw the killing look she said, "You're buying for Issac right?"

When Cora nodded with a suspicious look on her face Lydia nodded to herself and said, "Sort of figured, jeans like this are all he wears to school, you need to expand that boys horizons. Take the jeans, a leather jacket probably a longer biker or bomber style. It'll give a little more weight to the boy, he looks as though a good stiff wind could blow him away. Leather jackets are classic and he could pretty much wear any kind of shirt under it and look great. Plus wear a scarf like this," she said pulling one off of a nearby accessories rack, it was a rich dark blue color. "I know too hot right now but the color is beautiful and will draw attention to his eyes."

She looked at the other girl and saw her slightly dazed expression and said a little weakly, "Too much?"

"No it's perfect actually, I can totally see him in that and it'll up his game." She said tossing the scarf and a couple of the darker rinse jeans over her arm. She then surprised the red head by grabbing her arm and dragging her over to several styles of leather garments were displayed. "Help me find the right style if they don't have it or the right size, we'll see if it can't be ordered." Several minutes of searching and Cora said, "So who's your friend?"

"Huh?" asked the redhead as she actually looked around behind her thinking someone had walked up without her seeing them.

"You said earlier that you had a friend you thought my brother should meet. Was just wondering if it was someone I would know and whether they could handle Derek having a teenaged son." The brunette pulled out a jacket and checked it for size and length before holding it out for Lydia to see.

Lydia gave it a critical and thorough exam, right down to the stitching before smiling approvingly and saying, "It has potential are you sure it's long enough though?"

The other girl held it up to her own body and it fell to her knees. She nodded and said, "It should be just about perfect. Issac will love it, cause it looks a lot like Derek's."

"Aww, that's so cute." Lydia said, "Where did Derek get his? If this one doesn't work maybe we can find one more like Derek's?"

"Naw, the one Derek wears is from our dad, it was his and he'd had it a pretty long time." Cora looked at the other girl expectantly and when Lydia looked up at her curiously.

"Lydia who's your friend?!" Cora said exasperatedly.

"Oh his name is Stiles." Lydia said easily.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**(Things begin to progress more swiftly from here.)**

Lydia and Cora continue to shop and while they do they continue their conversation, "Lydia I don't even think my brother likes guys. I mean I know he's dated. Not that we really talk about each others dates or anything but all I remember him dating were girls, but I know he hasn't really dated much in New York or San Jose so it is something to consider." she added thoughtfully.

They didn't speak for several minutes as they sorted through a few racks of clothes, then Lydia drew a deep breath and said with some trepidation, "I overheard you and Danny talking in the chem lab the other day, about me."

Cora visibly flinched and she tried to remember exactly what they had discussed, Lydia continued, "Did you mean it when you said you thought I was being a coward?"

Cora cringed a little more inwardly this time but said honesty, "I also said I thought you could make a difference and be a role model to other girls in high school. Show them not to just rely on their looks."

"What do you mean?" asked the redhead her brows knit in confusion.

"You could show the pretty girls that they can use their brain and that the girls with a brain don't have to let that be their end all and be all." Cora said seriously. "Just think about it," she offered

**XXXXXXXXX**

Danny was watching Jackson thoughtfully. The pair of them had decided to have dinner together, nothing fancy, just burgers. Jackson though was acting a little wild and it had Danny worried. His friend acted like he was fine but he was angry and almost vicious in the way he was making jabs about everyone from Lydia to Greenberg to Stiles. He hadn't been nasty to Stiles since they were in sixth grade.

At the time Stiles had smacked Jackson upside the head for saying something about Stiles dad. Then had given him a smack down of a talk that had embarrassed the blond teen immensely. Jackson had been more careful about what he said and who to after that. Stiles had basically reminded the other teen, who his friends were and that you could only burn so many bridges before you were on your own little island with no one to answer any calls for help.

Then he saw the flash of gold in Jackson's eyes. His blood ran cold as he tried to imagine why Talia Hale would have bitten Jackson. Especially since according to Cora, they had a treaty with the Argents to keep the peace. The Argents wouldn't attack the Hale pack and the pack wouldn't create new members except of course by having children.

Jackson becoming a wolf could break the treaty between the Hales and the Argents, especially since the Argents were back in town now. Of course the fact that the Argents or more specifically Kate Argent, had tried to burn the house down around almost the entire pack may have already voided the contract. Even Cora wasn't sure about that because her mother never wanted to talk about what had happened that night.

Danny then saw the other boy fold his fingers into his palms but not before he noticed the claws at Jackson's fingertips. Danny breathed in deeply to calm his nerves and brought his attention back to Jackson. Wait Talia wouldn't have bitten Jackson, it didn't make sense for her to do such a thing. Which means another Alpha did. These thoughts ran through the Hawaiian teens head as his friend drove him home after dinner. Instead of calling Cora though Danny called Stiles.

The lacrosse goalie explained the situation to him, what he had seen, his theories and his fears for his friend. Stiles told him he would look into it. As soon as the teen had pressed the end call button on his cell and checking the time he headed over to the Loft.

Grateful that his father was working the late shift this evening, Stiles avoided the alarm system that Derek had set up. He probably could have used magic to disable the system but he didn't. When Derek had explained the situation between himself and the rest of his now former Pack Stiles had wholeheartedly agreed with the precaution. That being said he wasn't going to leave the werewolf and the soon-to-be-werewolf vulnerable to Derek's family.

When he had headed to the loft he had made sure the lights they had managed to get jury rigged were still on. For some reason this made the teen remember that he had promised to go looking for some cheap furniture. Stiles had floated the rumor that Derek was a struggling young architect who had taken an interest in Issac in a platonic but familial way and wanted to keep that image going. Getting the pair out in the public eye was important. The Hales had always stayed too private, it had promoted a lot of ugly and unsavory rumors. These had caused a lot of trouble for the ones who had attended school.

Stiles was doing his best to remove that stigma from Cora, who he considered a friend, Issac who was about to join the family by proxy and now Derek who he had to admit was stirring feelings in Stiles that he was trying to subvert under an overly healthy dose of friendship. He showed the courtesy of knocking, well pounding on the heavy door of the loft before sliding it open, along the track.

"Yep, definitely needed furniture," Stiles thought as he saw Derek sitting on a bare mattress on the floor. At least he knew that Issac had an actual bed in the loft. They had basically moved some of the furniture over from his former home. Most of it from his bedroom, a few reminders of happier times when his mother had been alive.

The rest waited to be sold, the money to be placed in a trust. This had been arranged by Derek's mother Talia, and that had been a very tense, awkward meeting. Stiles had supposedly attended to support Issac, the trio knew without saying anything that it was actually for both of his friends. When Derek didn't introduce him Stiles took the liberty making sure to mention that he was the sheriffs son. The way the older woman's eyes had danced from one boy to the other had reminded him of a pinball machine. However there was no open hostility and no awkward questions of what Derek's intentions were towards Issac.

"We have a problem," Stiles said without preamble.

Issac who was sitting on the floor with his homework spread out around him, looked up fearfully. Stiles could have kicked himself for barging in like this and opening with that line but it was done. Derek held his hand up to the blond teen in a comforting gesture. "What kind of a problem?" he asked in a bland voice.

"Did you bite Jackson Whittemore?" Stiles asked bluntly, no heat in his tone. He already knew the answer but he still needed to hear Derek say it.

Instead of answering though Derek asked his brows knit in confusion, "Who the hell is Jackson Whittemore?"

"A classmate of ours from high school, popular guy, really good looking. Captain of the lacrosse team, captain of the swim team, captain of the debate team…"

"Yeah and if the school had a heartthrob team he'd be the captain of that too. Did you bite him?" he said getting back to the point.

"No Stiles," he said with a slightly hurt expression, "I haven't bitten anyone yet. I don't even know who that is."

"Good," the younger man said with a slight puff of air, "and bad…because someone sure did."

"What makes you say that?" Derek asked and although his voice was still bland his expression was becoming as dark as thunderclouds.

"Temper tantrums, bad attitude, claws, and glowing golden eyes. Either he's been bitten and is turning into a werewolf, or he has the worst case of male PMS I have ever seen. You didn't bite him, your mom wouldn't risk breaking the already busted treaty between you and the Argents. Are there any other Alpha's in your family who would dare do this?"

Derek looked at Stiles and then groaned in realization, dropping back onto the mattress that served as his bed. The older man put his head in his hands and sat there for a few seconds. Stiles waited a bit before saying, "You know who it is, don't you?"

Derek looked up from his now folded hands before saying, "Yea, I know who it is, but she'll never admit it. On top of that they'll believe her when she tells them I did it. It's what a rogue Alpha without a pack would do," he said with a shrug and a pained expression.

Stiles said as he began to pace, "You didn't do it though, and they would be really pathetic if they couldn't tell the difference between you telling the truth and her lying. Plus you're not a rogue Alpha if you have a pack and you have a pack." The teen said testily. "Ok it's a small one so far, only two other members but it's a Pack."

The Spark would have continued his rant except he found Issac in front of him and Derek right behind his ward. Issac said, "Stiles calm down."

"What? I'm calm. I'm perfectly calm," the other teen said in a staccato manner that told anyone listening that he was actually still pissed.

Derek merely crossed his arms with an amused expression on his face said, "Then would you mind very calmly putting Issac's school books back down so he can finish his homework?"

Stiles head whipped around so sharply Derek at least was worried he might give himself whiplash. Sure enough the younger teen saw textbooks, notebooks, stray papers and writing implements floating around in a small whirlwind. A stray sock and the soon-to-be-werewolves book bag were floating off the ground, as well. The book bag was about three inches off the ground and moving rather sluggishly, while the sock was apparently caught in the wiring of one of the new light fixtures.

Slapping a palm over his mouth, didn't really muffle Stiles squeaked, "Oh my gawd."

Issac gave a little snort as he said, "Somehow I don't think Harris will believe me if I tell him my homework got sucked up into a tornado. Though it might be worth the face he makes to try."

Stiles gave a little scowl at the other boy as he contemplated the still flying school supplies, "Nobody likes a smartass Issac." Closing his eyes the magic user drew in a deep breath to help calm his mind. Slowly everything floated back down to land where it had been on the floor where the older teen had been sitting.

"Now to get back to the subject of Jackson," Stiles reminded. "Your sister Laura bit him, didn't she? That's what we're talking about here, right?"

Derek nodded his face reluctantly shifting back to a more serious expression as he said, "Yeah unless we're so unlucky as to get another rogue Alpha. This time in Hale territory which is for all intents and purposes an automatic death sentence. So is being an unclaimed beta, they'll kill him before he has a chance to learn control. Just to maintain the secret."

Stiles started to shake his head and then thought of something, "Can you claim him? You didn't bite him I know but can you claim him? We both know Laura won't, right. You said they'll think you bit him anyway, so why not just claim him?"

"It's not that simple Stiles. He'll know I'm not his Alpha, or he should. Unclaimed Beta's things can go wrong. Wolves are meant to be claimed by their Alpha and protected and loved by the Pack. If they aren't they can change into something else, something not right."

"An abomination," said Stiles helpfully. "That's why they kill the unclaimed ones, so they don't become that

The werewolf looked at him with a look that was a mix of horror and something else that had Stiles shiver slightly as Derek nodded his head, "Then you have to claim him, Derek. Jackson may be a douche but he's also a friend. He needs friends, he needs _us_. The full moon is only a couple of days away."

"Okay, you're right. I'm not going to let what happened to me happen to someone else," Derek agreed readily enough, before adding in a much softer tone, "or worse. But I think it can wait till tomorrow, don't you?"

Stiles wanted nothing more than to say, "No it can't wait we need to go get him right now," but since he didn't want to send anything else flying around the room unintentionally, the teen worked to maintain his calm exterior, as he nodded his head in agreement and said, "Sure."

Derek stared at him for a moment, clearly waiting for the calm to crack and Stiles to start demanding they go and get Jackson. Finally he said, "You believed me,"

When Stiles looked at the older man with a confused expression, Derek explained, "You believed me when I said I didn't bite, your friend."

"Course not, I knew you didn't bite him Sourwolf. He doesn't know what's happening to him, he has no clue. You would have at least told him what to expect, not left him hanging like that. You're better than that, I know it. Issac knows it and Jackson is about to find it out." Stiles said with absent reassurance as he watched Issac tap his foot a little impatiently as he worked on his biology homework.

Checking his watch, Stiles continued, "I'll go with you in the morning, Jackson practices at the lacrosse pitch, every morning before the summer school students get there. You can catch him there when you take Issac to school tomorrow." Finally frustrated with the other teens toe-tapping Stiles asked, "Issac what are you doing?"

"Hmm, my foots getting a little cold," he said wiggling his bare toes in demonstration, before adding, "And lonely. So I was wondering if you might want to like return my sock maybe." He said indicating the offending bit of clothing that was still hanging rather rakishly from the overhead light fixture.

The Spark merely face-palmed again.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**A few days after the emergency room scene:**

Allison looked up from the book she was reading in the park. Just resting her eyes for a moment, she scanned the park and wasn't surprised to see the strange guy Scott McCall. She had to admit he was cute, really he was, that wasn't the strange part. The strange part was that every time she happened to look up he was there. She liked him she really did, they had even gone out on a couple of dates. Group dates really, and he seemed great he really did.

Her dad however kept hinting that he didn't want her dating anyone right now and she was pretty sure with this boy, it wouldn't stay casual. Scott caught her eye, waved and proceeded to trot over to where Allison sat in the grass under the large oak tree.

He flopped down in the grass next to her and said, "Hey, whatcha doing?"

"Just a little reading to kind of catch up since our last move," she said holding up a dog-eared copy of _"Catcher in the Rye."_

"So I was just wondering if you had time for a tour of the town maybe," Scott said sweetly.

Allison thought about it and said, "Uhm sure, that actually sounds kind of nice, but I need to be back home before dark. My dad's kinda protective," she said with a disarming shrug of the shoulders. She put her book in her messenger bag and accepted the hand that Scott offered to help her up off the ground.

By the end of the day Allison Argent really liked Scott McCall and thought he was not only really cute but also incredibly sweet. As for Scott he was head-over-heels for Allison. To make sure that Allison wasn't late Scott drove her to her parents place in the woods. Where he met both of her parents, her mother seemed really protective but also kind of old fashioned and very maternal. Her father seemed like a badass with a dry sense of humor who was also very protective of his daughter. By the end of the evening the teen had been invited back for Sunday dinner.

By the end of the week he and Allison were dating, even if it was in secret. By the end of the month it wasn't so secret at least to their friends. Allison seems to have no problem balancing her relationship with Scott and her burgeoning friendships with Jackson, Lydia and to a certain extent Danny. Stiles was very nice but he was more Scott's friend. When the group had gone to the mall, she found herself alone with Jackson on a rare occasion.

Stiles had opted out of their little trip and when she asked Scott had said his friend was just being Stiles with a sour note. Jackson told her "Scott has always been kind of a dick where his friend is concerned. But if you ever need it, Stiles is a great listener and also usually gives really good advice." The blond had given her a charming smile and then had moved aside as a very irritated looking Scott had returned from the men's room.

A couple of months later and not only was Jackson not dating Lydia, he was being a jerk to everyone. And Scott, well Allison had dumped Scott after she found out that he had blown off Stiles to spend time with Allison, nine times in a row. She found out by accident, when she was trying to put a reminder in his phone and found over twenty unanswered messages from Stiles. Though it was a terrible invasion of privacy she had read them and what she found out had so incensed her she had broken it off with him.

She was going to talk to Stiles about the whole situation, remembering what Jackson had once said about Stiles being a good listener. In truth she had noticed that the sheriffs son hadn't been spending time with Scott but had just thought their summer schedules might not mesh well. She had noticed him hanging out with a young man she had assumed was a fellow student. She had occasionally seen him around but didn't know his name.

The other guy was quiet, built like a linebacker, and the one time she had seen him smile, she could admit he was gorgeous, dimples and all. She was jogging and yes still trying to find Stiles, instead she found Jackson. The captain of the lacrosse team was practicing in the early morning hours on the lacrosse field. Where Stiles, Danny, and two other guys Allison didn't know, were having a rather heated conversation with him.

The athletic teen seemed to be blowing off the group of men around him. Until Stiles reached out with an apologetic expression and touched him on the shoulder. Suddenly Jackson slid to the ground unconscious, after which the oldest of the young men picked him up and threw Jackson over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He dumped Jackson in the back of Stiles Jeep. Danny and Stiles climbed in the front of the blue vehicle while the other two climbed into a nearby black Camaro and the group proceeded to drive off down the road.

Allison was contemplating whether to call her father or the police as she ran parallel to the road trying to keep up with the two vehicles. Then she saw the young man who had been spending time with Stiles, pulling out on the road behind them, he was driving one of those white pickups they called sport. The bed of the truck gave her an idea. She prayed that he was actually following the quartet of young men who had just kidnapped Jackson.

She continued to run along beside the road until they came across a partially fallen log, she ran out across the log. She heard a crack as she did a front flip into the bed of the truck. She ignored the noise as she landed in the back of the truck. The man in the front seat looked into the rearview mirror and met her eyes. She gave him a charming smile and a wave, surprisingly the other man looked at her for a moment and then gave an answering smile as he accelerated to follow the other two vehicles.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N~ You will undoubtedly notice some changes I have made, it's all a kind of scramble as to how history can change in the town of Beacon Hills just by stopping one event. The Hale House fire. Among other things this will explain Jackson's mate reference or rather his wolfs. It will explain and elaborate on the implied relationship between Peter and Chris Argent. **

**More will come in the next chapter but I think a three part chapter is about my limit. Also I lay claim to any and all errors. Let me know if you see any really glaring errors and I will do my best to correct them. Please review, let me know if you have any questions, kudos, or constructive criticism. I am not following the Teen Wolf timeline but making up my own as I go along so bear with me. ~A **

**Chapter 20C**

"Hey Jax, wakey, wakey," said a familiar voice. Jackson tried to open his eyes and whined slightly because they felt so heavy. He pulled and tugged and still ending up laying there for a few moments and heard a growl from inside that he didn't recognize sound in his head.

He was trying to figure out where the noise had come from when a surprisingly gentle hand shook the teens shoulder and a voice said, "Jackson, the effects, will wear off in a few minutes. You can talk though, if you want."

"Stiles?" Jackson said curiously in a pained voice.

"Yeah, you're gonna be fine, man." Stiles said comfortingly. "How's your anger level?"

"You mean besides the fact that I want to kill you right now. The fact I have a headache that would kill an elephant and somehow I think you're behind it." the teen said with enough heat to have Stiles move back but not fast enough. As Jackson's hand wrapped around the other teens throat.

This was followed by someone nearby grabbing his wrist and applying pressure at a certain point on his wrist and the back of his hand. Along with a growl that sounded so close to his face the teen flinched hard and tried to open his eyes even harder.

His lids managed to lift and he saw the red eyes staring at him. A voice said in a warning tone, "You really don't want to hurt anyone," Jackson blinked to try and clear his vision, but it didn't work.

"Stilinski the thing you did, am I supposed to hallucinate? Cause this guys face is all messed up," Jackson said not taking his eyes off of Derek's face.

"Yeah well that's because he's a werewolf," said Issac helpfully.

Jackson snorted, he would have laughed hysterically, except that just the snort, had him feeling like his head would blow off. Then end up somewhere far away from his body, like another town.

"Werewolves don't exist," Jackson denied calmly. "He's wearing a mask and I'm hallucinating "

"You're not hallucinating Jackson, what I did wouldn't cause that. You are having a reaction to the change you are going through." said Stiles, then added. "Would you mind retracting your claws that way Derek can let you go?"

"What claws?" Jackson asked irritably.

Derek held up Jackson's own hands so that he could see the claws extended from them. Then to make sure that the blond teen believed them. Issac reached out and bent one of the claws backward to prove it wouldn't just pop off like a fake nail. "Okay, okay," said Jackson in obvious pain, "I believe you. What the hell is going on?"

"That's what we've been trying to tell you, you're becoming a werewolf Jax," Danny finally spoke.

Jackson tried once again to sit up and this time was successful. Derek thoughtfully helped him into a sitting position, but didn't release his hands. He kept the hands between them so that Jackson would continue to see where his claws were extended.

The younger blond looked over at Danny and asked, "How do you know so much about this, "Dude it's Beacon Hills, how do you not know?"

Derek looked over at the Hawaiian sharply and said, "It's supposed to be a secret."

"Trust me this isn't even the biggest thing in Beacon Hills." Danny offered with a shrug.

"On the full moon, you're going to change into a werewolf. When that happens you could do harm to your family, your friends, and anyone else you care about. You have to understand, if you don't do something to keep yourself from doing harm, you could hurt a lot of people. People like Lydia, your parents…"

"Yeah only they're not," said Jackson dejectedly.

"Not what?" Stiles asked in confusion.

"Not my parents. I'm adopted. My parents were killed in a car accident when I was just a baby. Apparently, I didn't have any other family, so I was put up for adoption and the Whittemore's adopted me." he said and Derek released his hands, which were back to normal. "Since they told me, it's like we adopted you now you have to repay us by being perfect. Lydia too, if I'm not perfect doing everything her way and being the perfect other half in school, I'm afraid I'll lose her. She's so controlling, I don't know what's me and what Lydia wants me to be or what my parents want me to be. I lost myself somewhere, and since I never knew my real parents I don't know who I was before or what I'm supposed to be in the future."

"Then don't you think it's about time you learned?" said a female voice. All five of the young men turned to the door. Allison stood just inside the open door of the loft, Boyd stood behind her nearly dwarfing the athletic young woman. The werewolf and near werewolf of the group were caught unawares as the pair walked into the room. "Jackson you're about to go through another change here in a few days from the sound of it you don't really handle change well."

"You need to figure out who you are and who other people have tried to make you." she said and came to sit cross-legged in front of him but was wise enough to be out of reach if he should decide to lunge. "Ok so you're about to become a werewolf, against your will or without your knowledge, either way is pretty horrible. You may find that you enjoy some of the advantages the change brings."

"She's right," Stiles said. "If even half the lore is true, you'll have increased strength and speed, heightened senses, yeah you'll change uncontrollably on the full moon and get a little wilder, but considering half the time now you seem to have PMS, not that much difference."

Jackson gave a snort as he said, "Hey I resemble that remark."

Derek was getting a little frustrated with the fact that no one seemed to upset about spilling the beans in front of these two newcomers, then Allison said something that he probably should have started with considering Jackson's confession.

"Plus you'll have the family you need. One that won't leave you, will always have your back and will help you figure out who you really are?" Allison said, pushing her wind tousled curls away from her face.

"What are you talking about?" Jackson asked seriously actually listening to the older girl.

"Werewolves are like actual wolves in some respects. They have an Alpha, a leader, that's like the father or family patriarch, of course sometimes the Alpha can be a female too. The Hales are thought to be descended from a Saracen female Alpha. But generally speaking it's like a really big fairly well organized family."

"Does everyone in this town know about the Hale's being werewolves?" Derek said looking pointedly at Stiles.

"Hey don't look at me, I have my own secrets to keep," the younger man said defensively holding up his palms in surrender.

"I figured it out on my own," said Danny with a cheeky grin, "but Cora did confirm it."

Allison shrugged and looked distinctly uncomfortable as she said, "My father has told me the Hale stories since I was little." She drew in a deep breath as she added, "Plus I'm an Argent so you know there's that,"

"What's an Argent?" Issac said looking at the brunette as he saw Derek's shoulders stiffen and his expression changed to a scowl.

Derek didn't answer, Jackson asked, "I'm with him, what's an Argent?"

"We're hunters, werewolf hunters, but we also hunt other things," Allison said a little more quietly.

Boyd came up behind her and as a way to draw the uncomfortable attention away from the girl said, "I'm Boyd and I just kind of overheard. So Stiles, what are you?"

"I'm guessing I'm one of those other things," Stiles said a little morosely.

"Is she right about the family part of everything?" he looked at Derek when he asked the question.

The new Alpha nodded as he said reluctantly, "The Alpha usually chooses at least three Betas to start. Betas are kind of lieutenants or elder brothers or sisters to the Pack. The Pack always protect each other and care about each other." He saw the group all perk up as he continued, "There are dangers to becoming a bitten werewolf though." he said and before they could ask he added, "I'm a hereditary werewolf, I was born this way." He looked at Issac and Jackson when he continued, "The bite can be rejected, if that happens you usually die from it."

"Usually?" Jackson asked, his face blanched white.

"According to my mother it's rare but if you are already some kind of supernatural creature before you're bitten it won't take and usually won't kill you. Plus as Ms. Argent just mentioned there is the possibility of hunters trying to kill you, or other super naturals with a grudge, including werewolves who will try to take your territory." Derek offered in a more gentle tone, "It's also not a drunken orgy slash feeding frenzy; like werewolves of London. My Pack prefers to offer the choice and give you the option, with all the usual warnings and disclaimers. Not all of the Pack's do."

"Why didn't she tell me any of this?" Jackson asked thoughtfully.

Derek sadly said, "I don't know, Jackson." Then he added in a more determined tone, "It doesn't matter though, I want you to be part of my pack, part of my family, just like Issac." Then he looked up at the younger blond and offered the option, "If you still want to, that is?"

The sweet faced younger teen gave a more enthusiastic smile and nodded his head so vigorously it made Stiles a little worried it would stay attached. Derek stood up to clap the teenager on the shoulder and then offered his hand to help Jackson up, with the offer of "What do you say?"

Jackson thought seriously about it and looked around at the others, before taking Derek's hand and answered, "I say yes." He was helped up from the floor, and then steadied for a moment as he caught is balance.

"Me too," Boyd said seriously. "I'm in the middle of a family of twelve kids living in a house with parents and grandparents. I might as well not exist. I want to have a place, a family where I matter and if being in a Pack is like what you say, I'll take the risk. I know what you did for Issac and you didn't even know him. I want to be like you. I want to have that. I want not to eat alone at lunch."

"I want to be part of the pack too." Alison said, "Just not a werewolf, my dad said that the Hales are an honorable pack. I know what my aunt did to your Pack and to you personally. I don't want to make amends for her, she should be the one to do that, but I don't want to hunt humans who happen to change once a month."

"Yeah if you did that some people at the high school might be in danger of getting hunted," Stiles said deadpan. Then looked around at the other men in the room.

Danny looked at the other boy and said sotto voice, "Stiles I'm gay and I wouldn't even go there."

"So am I or bi at least and I'm sorry but it's not just the girls I'm talking about. Jackson's been kind of PMS'y since before he and Lydia even broke up," seeing the annoyed look Jackson was giving him the teen scowled as he said, "Don't give me that look Jax, you know it as well as I do."

Jackson continued to glare for a minute longer before he looked over at Danny and saw him shrug and then nod his head in agreement. Then the lacrosse player had the grace to look sheepish as he said, "Sorry guys, I do have a question though," he said looking at Derek. "Who do you think bit me?"

"My sister, she's the only other Alpha, it has to be her. My mother wouldn't leave you alone after giving you the bite and she would offer, not just give it, without any warnings."

"Not Cora." Danny said in a shocked voice.

"No my other sister, Laura," Derek said absently and then he started talking to Stiles about getting restraints for Jackson.

Jackson meanwhile was asking Danny, "Who's Cora again?"

"Not your type," Danny said dismissively.

"I'm everyone's type," Jackson said with more than a hint of arrogance.

"And that just proves you're not. One not everybody likes the arrogant jock type, two she's too smart for you, three she's too nice for you and four I happen to like her as a friend and I would appreciate it if the total douche that is my best friend didn't chase away the only female I know who doesn't automatically think of me as a shopping buddy." Danny said irritably as he stood up and made to leave.

"Ok fine its not like that," Jackson hissed, "Look I may be more comfortable with being a…a werewolf but I'd like to understand more about it. Derek has one side of the story, Allison has another, but like she said I need to figure out who _I _ am. So the more information I get, the better, your friend Cora doesn't know me except what you told her. I just want to be my own version of this. Maybe if I figure out who I am as a werewolf, I can figure out who I am as a human being."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**The next day, in the Preserve, on a path the Hale Pack uses: **

"So," said Cora, "I saw Derek the other day. Guess what?"

"Frankly I couldn't care less what that loser rogue said," Laura snarked harshly, and continued, "and frankly I don't think mom would be happy to know you've been spending time with him."

"Him is our brother, in case you've forgotten. You and our parents may find it easy to dismiss him, good for you, I'm not going to," Cora said passionately.

"Too bad for you," said Laura coldly, and she turned away from her sister and started to walk back to the house.

"I find it interesting that you didn't even ask what was going on with Derek,"

Cora said.

"Like I said, I don't care," Laura said angrily.

"Think he'll recognize you?" Cora asked, and was gratified to see her sister freeze in her tracks. "Yeah I think so to. I don't think Mom will like the fact that you're trying to make Beta's before you're even officially an Alpha, and leaving him alone. Abandoning him to either learn or kill everything and everyone in is path or worse yet to become a kanima. Yeah that won't win you brownie points as an Alpha, will it?"

Laura whirled and her eyes glowed red and her fangs were showing as she stalked toward her sister, "And who do you think she'll believe, me her adored older daughter and heir, you the daughter with no plans or ambition, or worse the son who became a rogue Alpha by accident?"

"Or d the one you bit and who is struggling with the change you set in motion, and who will probably recognize you as soon as he sees you again," the youngest Hale sibling asked without a hint of fear or submissiveness as she faced her older sister, "I know it was you Laura, admit it. Tell the truth or I'll tell Mom," Cora demanded.

As her sister turned and walked away, Cora also growled and walked away as Laura growled under her breath, "Not going to happen, not any of it."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**The next day, Friday, the evening of the full moon, lower floor of the industrial building: **Stiles walks in with a small duffle bag that clinked and rattled as he carried it. The old work table he put the bag on actually shook and made a groan of protest as he dropped the bag on top of it.

"I got these from the department so they need to be returned after we're done with them." he said as he took out leg irons and a leather strap that went around the waist. Then he took out the wrist restraints that also attached to the leather waist strap.

"Stiles," Derek said in a mocking tone, "I could break out of something like this when I was twelve during the full moon."

"Then it's good they're not done yet, isn't it?" the Spark said. He spread the restraints out on the scarred tabletop and put the bag underneath the table before telling the gathered individuals which included Boyd, Issac, Derek, Jackson and Allison to stand a good ten feet away from the table.

It was Jackson who asked, "And what are you planning on doing, Stiles. Hit me with them? Cause that's the only way you're getting me into those things."

Stiles glanced to the side where Allison was standing with her own bag and the pair smirked at each other where Jackson couldn't see them. "One thing at a time, my young padiwan," Stiles said. He took out an all too familiar blue container of salt, pouring out a rather large handful of salt into his palm.

When Jackson opened his mouth to make a comment, Stiles looked at the student and said, "Not a word Jackson." The teen tried to speak but nothing came out. That was impressive enough to those who knew him to pay closer attention, as Stiles tossed the salt into the air and the white particles spread out and formed a perfect circle around the table and the Spark.

Now the teen looked slightly hesitant as he reached under the table and drew out a shaving kit, placing it on the table beside the chains. "Which ones should I use Mary?" Stiles asked.

An older woman came out of the shadows and said, "What does your gut tell you cub?"

"Amethyst for stability, amber for converting negative energy to positive energy," as Stiles spoke he pulled cloth wrapped stones from within the shaving kit and placed them in strategic locations around the chains. "Malachite for the transformation. Hematite for grounding, moonstone for calming, onyx for strengthening the restraints themselves. Quartz to imbue the spell with power and Lapis for total awareness." When he was done he looked over at her to see his mentor smiling at him as she gave him an approving nod.

Stiles looked over at Jackson who had finally given up trying to speak and instead was glaring at him. Stiles let his voice carry in the cavernous space, "The full intentions of these spells are basically that Jackson won't lose himself completely to the wolf during his transformation. It might be cheating a little, but the spell will imbue Jackson with the strength and mental and emotional calm he needs to get through this. Finally it will also give the chains themselves the strength to hold his wolf until dawn."

Jackson began gesticulating wildly again indicating that he wanted to speak, Stiles relented but warned with a knowing look, "You can speak now but I warn you, I can mute you for a few weeks if you piss me off. That might make captaining the debate team a challenge, don't you think?"

Jackson's eyes widened slightly at the threat but he asked, "Really magic now, and Stiles wielding it no less, seriously are we just supposed to believe this? And who is she?" he added for good measure.

Stiles stared at the other teen intensely and placed his hands on the edge of the old table, they all felt the temperature in the room drop suddenly to the point they could see the frost of their breath in the air. Stiles eyes suddenly changed to a solid black with a flash of fire in their depths. "Yes, Jackson, you are actually going to believe it, you all will. She is my teacher, show some respect. And Jackson that feeling that something is trying to crawl out of you and run away, _that_ isn't the wolf."

Without another word to any of them, Stiles began working the magic, at first nothing obvious happened, except the words their friend was speaking. Words they didn't understand, at first nothing was obviously happening then the salt of the circle began to swirl. As it did static electricity began to form and pass between the stones on the table and then into the chains on the table

After a few minutes the energy abated and Stiles smiled with satisfaction. None of the others in the room said anything. The sun was already beginning to fade from sight below the horizon. Stiles looked up and caught Jackson's eyes as he said, "So Jackson," he said tilting his head to the side and giving a coy, chilling smile, "Do you believe me now?"

The lacrosse player turned to the door but before he took one full step he was twitching on the floor. Allison smiled an answering coy smile to her cohort. Derek merely said, "That wasn't exactly how my mother would have done it."

"Yeah but this isn't exactly your mom's pack either is it?" Danny said thoughtfully, "It's your Pack, things are bound to be different. Who knows maybe even better than hers." With that the teen casually flipped his friend over on his back and drew his hands together for Derek and Boyd to put the chains on.

Jackson was starting to come out of the taser imposed stupor and said sluggishly, "Uhnn. What was that?"

"That was the nice, and very pretty hunter lady taking down the big bad wolf, in 0.7 seconds flat," Issac said cheerfully.

Danny had turned his friend back over onto his back before Jackson's eyes were finally able to focus on the other teen as he said with an evil smile, "Just wait till next month when it's your turn Lahey." Then he looked over at Derek and asked, "So what happens now?"

"Now you learn to focus. Until you find someone or something to be your anchor, it's the best way to control your wolf." the new Alpha explained soothingly as he helped Jackson sit up.

"Anchor?" the athletic teen asked seriously.

"A person, usually a mate or friend, who helps you focus on your human side through your transformation, until you meet your anchor you need something to focus on through the change." Derek said carefully.

"Do you have a mate?" asked Jackson soberly.

"No, no I don't," Derek replied.

"What is it for you?" asked Issac thoughtfully.

"For me, it's always been anger, eventually I hope to change that though." Derek told his current boss and the group of teens around him. He realized he was telling the truth, now that he had a pack of his own to take care of he really did need to change a few things in his life. But first…

"Think of something to focus on Jackson, something that has always been constant and unchanging for you."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Xo0oBegin Dream Sequenceo0oX **

Stiles cursed as he sat up, he looked around and realized he was in the Preserve. He was having a wolf dream again. At least that was what he and Mary were calling it. Sometimes he had what he called the wolf dreams and there were other wolves. It didn't always work out that way, this time he didn't remember falling asleep at all, and he wasn't a wolf. He just had a feeling of urgency, like he was about to miss an important event of some kind. So he let his instincts guide him deeper into the Preserve.

Then he heard the sounds of shovels digging into the earth. The people digging were cursing because of the rocks and roots their shovels kept hitting. Stiles his behind one of the larger trees and realized that the pair doing the digging were a man and a woman. Both had their backs to him the woman was wearing a black hoody pulled up over her head and the man was more heavy set and silver hair spilled out from under his watch cap. Stiles watched as the pair finished digging a shallow hole and then threw two garbage bags into the hole they had dug and began covering it up.

As they were moving the bags and burying them, Stiles saw their faces. The woman had short red hair and sharp yet delicate features. The man was older maybe in his seventies. Stiles carefully began piling up stones high against the trunk he his behind in between the roots. He had a sneaking suspicion whatever were in those bags was important. Then he woke up.

**Xo0o End Dream Sequence o0oX**

**XXXXXXXXX**

Cora ran through the woods in her Beta mode. She was apart from the rest of the Pack because she was thinking about the situation with Laura and needed the privacy to try to think things through and figure out what to do. The problem was she didn't really know Jackson well enough to know how he was going to react.

Sure he was Danny's friend and she knew him well enough to acknowledge in the hall but she didn't know him, know him. She was a born werewolf, not a bitten one so it was different for her. Suddenly something came out of the dark and used her momentum to slam her head first into a tree. Werewolf healing not withstanding she was out like a light.

When she woke the moon was blocked from her sight, but she felt dirt, straw and solid earth beneath her. Her eyes were having trouble focusing and she was

Pretty sure her uncle would mention "the possibility of concussion." Strangely enough she was sure she could detect the faintest hint to his scent in this…cave?

Then she heard the faintest of growls and glowing blue eyes, Cora flashed her own golden eyes at the other pair. The sight reminding her of her own brothers blue wolf eyes, but her brothers eyes should be red, shouldn't they? So who was this?

Cora tried again to focus and this time, was able to make out the shape of a coyote. From the scent it was a female, and then she looked around at other things in the cave and saw a little girls doll, and some other belongings for a young girl. Cora said softly, "You're a were, what are you doing out here all on your own?"

Then she heard something and so did the little coyote female. She watched as the coyote cringed away from the entrance to the cave as something large crashed around through the underbrush out there. Then she heard it, the voice, muttering harshly. The voice was familiar even transformed she would know Laura, especially when she called her.

"Come on Cora, where are you. Obviously I didn't kill you, when I knocked you into the tree, or you wouldn't have crawled away. Come out, and I'll make it quick and relatively painless. We'll mourn you of course, and we'll have to kill the rogue who obviously you trusted too much and he killed you. Well him and whoever is with him of course. Killing two birds with one stone. Getting rid of Derek and killing my mistake, all tied up in a nice little bow."

Cora felt the chill work its way down her spine and felt the urge to shake it off. She could tell the coyote was terrified and was trying not to whimper and draw the Alpha's attention to their hiding spot. Rolling very carefully to her hands and knees she crawled to where the smaller were lay shivering.. Reaching her clawed hand out she let the were coyote sniff, and then very slowly reached for the scruff of the neck and gripping it began to gently massage and soothe as her obviously homicidal sister continued to try and find her.

The younger werewolf wasn't sure where exactly this cave was and could only assume that they weren't far from the path as she didn't think the were coyote in her fully transformed shape could have the strength to haul her body too far. Other than her mother though she hadn't really met anyone who could fully transform, it was a very rare talent among werewolves. It was also a cause of frustration for both Laura and their mother. Apparently the full transformation was one of the signs of an Alpha ready to take the lead of the Pack

It was how her mother took over the Pack from their grandmother, and so on back for generations. According to their lore, their Pack had been matriarchal for centuries. Supposedly that had ensured the peace and stability between them and other packs for ages. Her mother considered it a sign that Laura wasn't ready to assume the leadership of the Pack.

She felt the were coyote relax under her gentle petting of the females neck and shoulders. Then she realized her sister was moving away from the coyotes den. Cora felt her own shoulders relax and lower. She wished she had brought her cell phone with her, but most of the wolves left their phones at Hale House. It was considered more of a nuisance than a help during the full moon. Not to mention a lot of the devices came up missing after transformations, getting lost in the woods and so forth.

The younger werewolf considered for a split second going back home but she knew her parents and uncle wouldn't be there. All of the Pack would be out in the Preserve, enjoying the freedom the full moon gave. Not to mention she would run the risk of her Alpha sister catching her and killing her.

She couldn't go back home at least not until the sun came back up and maybe not even then. Tomorrow school would still be out thank goodness, then she thought about it. Jackson wouldn't be in school, Derek and Danny would be with Jackson. According to Danny they were using the privacy and isolation of the loft that her brother was renovating to hide Jackson during his will come with me first transformation.

She hoped they didn't mind an early morning visit from her and her new friend. Kneeling down she caught the eye of the were coyote. Not knowing if it would work on another were she put as much compulsion in her husky voice as she could as she said with intensity any Alpha would admire, "Come with me. When we wake up, you will come with me."

She waited for a moment when the female elongated her neck, Cora soothed her by stroking her neck and shoulder again and the slid up next to the other were and shared her warmth and both soon dozed off.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Jackson was trying hard to figure out why there was a pounding in his head. Then he realized it was someone at the door…to the loft…where he had actually become a werewolf last night. He looked down at his hands and discovered he not only no longer had claws he was unchained.

He vaguely remembered a red-eyed Derek unchaining him. While praising and reassuring him that he had never seen another first timer have as much control or presence of mind before. The lacrosse captain looked around as he walked towards the heavy loft door. No one else seemed to be in the larger loft area. He imagined that Derek and Issac were in their rooms but he had no idea where Allison, Danny or Stiles were at the moment, probably went back home when they knew I was out of the woods.

Then he thought about it and realized how concerned they had really been for him and what that meant to him. He opened the door to the loft with the track making an awful screeching noise in the process. A familiar looking girl and an odd looking dog were on the other side of the door. The dog crouched down and looked as if it were ready to run away and rip his throat out at the same time.

Suddenly the young woman was between him and the crouching dog, she faced the animal and said sharply, "No." to the animal. It stayed crouched with its ears laid back against it's head. "Derek!"

The Alpha ran down the spiral staircase in the far corner and was followed by Issac who came up behind Jackson. Derek came to the door and looking confused said, "Cora? What the…"

"She's stuck can you make her change back?" Cora said as she ducked between the trio of young men and headed over to where Jackson had been sleeping and grabbed up an unused sheet and brought it back to the entrance.

Her brother asked, "Who is she?"

"I don't know but she kind of smells like Uncle Peter, at least some of the time." Cora said before speaking nonsense words to the coyote in a soothing manner as she draped the sheet over the were. "Plus she saved my life, so help her,"

Derek nodded his head and warned the assembled group, "Cover your ears," before he gave a frightening roar. The figure lowered to the floor, eyes flashed blue and then the coyote melted into the form of a young woman. Roughly about their age, honey colored hair and brown eyes looked up at them and then down at her body.

Helping the girl stand up while wrapping the sheet more securely around her, Cora looked up at her brother and seeing the expressions on the faces of those assembled she said with a sad little laugh, "And would you believe this isn't even the main reason I came here today."

Derek's eyebrows arched questioningly as he motioned for his sister and her charge to precede them into the loft area, to a couch they had gotten from Good Will. "Ok, sorry but who are you again?" Issac asked curiously.

"Issac, Jackson this is my younger sister Cora,"

"We know each other," Jackson offered. The way he was looking at Cora at the moment though, belied the statement. He looked as though he had never met her before and the look was full of masculine interest and protective instinct.

Cora gazed at him for a long moment as well while she was telling her brother of the conversation she'd had with their older sister as well as what had happened last night when she was enjoying her run and what came after. Before looking at the young woman who was sitting close to her on the couch.

"Does Uncle Peter have any kids that you know of?" Derek looked at the younger woman as well. He could see a faint resemblance to his uncle in the girls bone structure. He couldn't remember his uncle having a real relationship in his lifetime.

His eyes went distant before he pulled out his cell phone and called his Uncle. It was several rings before his uncle answered and if it weren't for the fact he was a doctor he wouldn't have answered at all. Derek knew. The growling answer he received only confirmed that, "This better be good after a full moon nephew."

"How awake are you?" Derek asked, then before his uncle could answer the impertinent question he added, "Have you had any serious sexual partners, probably between fifteen and eighteen years ago?"

He swore he heard his uncles jaws click shut and after a rather pregnant pause, his uncle answered, "I've only ever had one serious relationship in my life and that was also my only sexual partner. Why do you ask?"

"I think this is something you're going to have to see for yourself. How fast can you get to the loft?" Derek asked only to have Cora snatch the phone out of is fan and clarify.

"Correction how fast can you get to the loft without Mom or Laura knowing where you're going?" the younger werewolf female asked seriously.

"I'll be there in half an hour." said their uncle followed by a dial tone before anything else was said.

Issac squatted down in front of the honey blond, while keeping a non-threatening distance from her. "Can you understand us?"

The girl thought for a minute before answering with a nod. Issac smiled softly and said, "Do you remember your name? Can you tell us what it is?"

The girl looked hesitant, then after swallowing several times and clearing her throat a couple of times she said in a rough voice, "M-Malia."

"Malia?" at her nod he spoke soothingly, "It's a beautiful name. Do you remember how old you were when you got lost?"

The flinch she gave at the words, "got lost" was obvious to all of them. The girl concentrated for a minute and fiddled with her fingers. Issac thought he might be the only one who noticed that the girl was actually counting her fingers. She looked over at him and said hesitantly, "I a-was nine."

Issac thought about his next question for a few minutes before asking, "Do you remember what birthdays are?"

The girl thought about his question and shook her head. He thought again for a shorter time before asking, "How many cold times have there been since, you got lost?" Again the visible flinch and the finger counting, S-six…six years." Malia said as she became more comfortable with Issac and his questions. Issac merely nodded reassuringly before looking up at Derek.

"There can't be too many missing and possibly presumed dead nine year old girls who disappeared six years ago in this small town. Think Stiles can get access to his dad's files and find out for us?"

"I think Stiles would do just about anything for our Alpha," Jackson offered helpfully. Seeing the glare that Derek sent his way had the new Beta flinch lightly before he added, "Just saying…"

"I'll call," the Alpha said in a deceptively casual tone as he punched in the Spark's number. Cora glanced over at her brother before signaling to the new werewolf, then she mouthed, "_My brother and Stiles?"_

At Jackson's casual nod as he watched Derek walk away from the quartet gathered around the couch. _"They like each other? "_

Jackson nodded again, then clarified, "_Don't think they know it though."_

Cora smiled and nodded her head in understanding. Malia looked back and forth between the two then over at the Alpha on the phone. Before she whispered a little loudly, "Stiles is the red eyes…mate?"

All three of the teens shushed the young woman who would probably become their peer in school. This was the first time she had initiated the conversation and the first time she had spoken a whole sentence without stuttering, it took them so long to answer the girls expression changed to something that looked like a cross between fear and anger.

Jackson replied softly, "Yes at least we think so, but it's a secret. You can't tell. Are you good at keeping secrets Malia?"

The other girl nodded seriously before making the symbol of locking her lips and throwing away the key. Then she smiled at the other young people, for the first time in several years.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Laura was pacing in her room and she actually hadn't completely changed back from her Beta form after returning to Hale House after the full moon. Her claws were still showing and the couple of times she's caught sight of herself in her mirror her guys were glowing the faded red of a emerging Alpha.

She couldn't fathom how her little sister was able to evade her last night. She was the Alpha. She had overestimated her own speed and strength when she had knocked her sister into the tree. She had done her best to get back to her sister before she had a chance to escape. She had ended up running too far though and by the time she got back, Cora was gone. No one seemed to know where her sister was. Even Uncle Peter had no idea and had actually growled and slammed the door in her face when she had tried to badger him about the location of her little sister.

She had complained to her mother about her uncles behavior towards her and the absentee Cora. Her mother had looked at Laura with a very disappointed expression on her face before saying in a sharp tone, "Alpha's do not whine Laura," before she walked away with Laura's father.

The new Alpha's frustration grew as she felt she deserved a little more respect than she was being shown. Yes she had tried to kill her little sister but Alpha did kill members of their Pack. Especially when they were betrayed by that Pack member, and Cora choosing Derek over her was definitely a betrayal. The fact that she had disobeyed her mother to create her own Beta and would be worthy of punishment by her own Alpha was completely beside the point of course.

Her Uncle had napped for a few hours he should be more receptive to interrogation by now. With that thought the lithe young female ran up the stairs of Hale House. Taking the steps two at a time she was at her Uncle's door in a matter of seconds. She pounded on the door and began yelling for her uncle. He hadn't answered after five rounds of pounding but several of the other Pack members were complaining about the noise. Laura ignored good Pack manners and tried the door, finding it unlocked she just decided to walk in.

Her brown eyes adjusted to the early morning gloom, to find that her uncle was not in bed. She even went into the en suite bath and walk-in closet to make sure he wasn't just hiding from her. How had her uncle gotten past her, Alpha's should be able to estimate a Beta's actions. Otherwise they couldn't work well together as a Pack.

She wondered just where her Uncle had gone.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Peter Hale followed the text instructions that his niece had sent him. His sister had finally broken down just recently and actually joined the technical revolution. She had not only gotten a cell phone but a laptop computer for her work as a lawyer. Peter had a laptop, actually he had two one for work and one for home. The one for work he kept either in his office at the hospital, which he kept locked, or in a safe at home.

He was very security conscious about his patient records. Even his transcription was put onto a flash drive, which was wiped after the records were secured onto his computer. A back up was secured onto a hard drive in the safe in his office. He had OCD he was willing to admit it, it made him a meticulous surgeon, and a difficult man to work for, or with.

He had a chosen few though that he enjoyed working with in the hospital. Melissa McCall was one of those few. He had even considered starting a relationship with her. His own nature prevented that. His wolf while content in her presence and attracted to the woman who let's face it was gorgeous, would never accept her as a mate. The wolf had already chosen it's mate and would not settle for another.

He was currently having a conflict with the hospitals Chief of Surgery for not giving patients more expensive options when less expensive ones would take care of their ailments just as well. He was also in trouble for what he was doing for the staff, bills wise. He even went to bat for clients with their sometimes reluctant insurance providers. Needless to say he had been threatened with having his privileges yanked except that he was also one of the most profitable surgeons in California. Sought after for brain and spinal cord injuries with a nearly miraculous success rate.

Right now he was saving money to start his own practice. He figured by the end of the year he would be able to break ground for his own office. He had already purchased the land and was seriously considering asking Derek to design the building itself. Lost in his plans he nearly missed the turnoff to the Industrial Park. His sports car responded with gratifying precision as he took the turn too sharply but still managed to maintain control.

When he pulled up to the loft the had to admit the building itself was very interesting architecturally speaking and he wondered how Derek was going to maintain the industrial veneer while converting it into comfortable loft style apartments.

As he climbed out of the car he heard more than Cora's voice, Derek was there too of course. There were at least three other male voices and another female voice. The Beta climbed the stairs surprised to see the area surprisingly pristine considering he knew from being a long time resident of Beacon Hills that the site had been abandoned for a couple of decades at least.

"Jackson what is it," his nephew asked, after a soft spoken conversation with one of the other male voices.

"We have company, he's trying to be stealthy but he smells like you and Cora, but more like Malia," the voice said with a little smugness, "I would say your uncle is in the building."

Peter Hale heard a pair of trainer clad feet head toward the loft door and pull it back with a slight squeal and rumble. "Really need to work on this thing," the teen said sotto voice.

"Hey, welcome to Werewolf Central. Come in, we have someone we think you should meet." Peter Hale stared at the all too familiar face. His mouth hung open for an embarrassing moment before he even stepped inside the loft. He closed it as the if possible younger looking savior walked back over to the group of teens who were standing with his nephew.

They were standing around a young woman wearing a t shirt and a pair of sweats that obviously didn't belong to her if the size was anything to go by. She looked at him and he froze in place.

The girl had Chris bone structure and eyes but the scent and shape were his own. There were definitely hints of Chris scent as well on the girl. He knelt down where he was more on an eye level with the girl. Feeling threatened Malia growled and flashed her blue Beta eyes at him, then took a deep sniff, and frowned in confusion. She drew another deep breath and stammered, "W-who are you?"

Peter looked at her and if possible he looked more confused than Malia did when he responded, "I'm not sure, but I think that I might be your father. If you'd like to maybe we can find out together." he offered in a stunningly gentle voice.

The teenager tilted her head to the side, studying the older man intently before nodding her head at the man, then with a practicality to be expected from a were-coyote who had been on her own since she was eight, Malia asked, "What do I…call you?"

Peter seemed to seriously consider it, before saying, "Peter for now, until we find out for sure what you should call me. That sound alright to you?"

Malia thought about that again before she nodded her head. Peter gave an honest smile filled with wonder, "and may I call you Malia?" The brunette gave a shy smile and a nod.

"Uncle," Derek called, "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Peter stood up with a smile at the girl who could very well be his daughter, just in time to see the young man who'd let him into the loft, smack his nephew in the chest and say, "Your timing really sucks you know that right?"

When his nephew gave the younger man a scowl, the boy he remembered saving the Hale Pack from being burned to death in an arson fire, merely rolled his eyes. Reminding scolding, "A few minutes together to get acquainted would be appropriate under the circumstances." When the new Alpha merely looked nonplussed the teen said, "Could you be any more socially inept? Lessons for all werewolves on appropriate human social skills, which are vastly different than werewolf ones. Jackson will also be attending since I'm pretty sure he was born this way."

A growl came from the shorter of the blonds in the room, "Stilinski," His niece who was kneeling protectively by Malia, reached up to grab the new Beta by the arm and held him in place as she said calmingly, "You know it would be better proof you don't need the lessons if you didn't react like a wolf to his teasing,"

The blond looked down at where her hand barely reached around his wrist, and if Peter knew anything at all about males, werewolves or pheromones his niece and Derek's new Beta Jackson were mates, unbounded but definitely headed that way. This however was about the young half wild woman sitting and watching the byplay with as much fascination as Peter himself.

"Alright nephew, what do you want to know?" Peter asked formally.

"Who is she? Who is her mother? How is it no one knew about her? Why was she left on her own for so long? What.." a hand clamped down on Derek's leather clad shoulder."

A voice that Peter was beginning to enjoy because of the temerity and snark it held, suggested, "You might consider letting him get a word in edgewise. Usually helps in the interrogation process if you let the witness answer the questions." His nephew looked down at the hand on his arm with a brow raised in incredulity before looking back up at the human boy holding his arm unconcernedly. The teen took his arm off raising both hands in a shrug before adding, "Just saying,"

His nephew shook his head and then with his head still bowed or a moment after before looking up and said sincerely, "Sorry Uncle, you were saying?"

Peter drew a deep breath pushing his concern and confusion down before he said, "I'm not sure how or when but I'm certain that she is mine and my Mates the only problem with that is that my Mate is another male and I don't remember having a child. My mate is also a human and to my knowledge two male were's having a child is rare enough. A male were and a male human having one is unheard of."

"How have I never heard of you having a mate, let alone that they were male or human?" Derek asked in confusion.

"Your mother, the Alpha, didn't approve. Let alone the rest of the Pack. She ordered me to stay away from him. The woman didn't even mind that he was human, after all we had human pack members," Peter drew a deep breath deciding on full disclosure he had hidden this secret long enough. He had a daughter she would have to know and he wasn't going to keep this secret any longer, "It was the fact that he was an Argent that she hated the most, even more than his being male."

Derek startled so badly that Stiles actually reached out to grab the older male by the sleeve again. This time he batted the werewolves hand away as he tried to shake the teen off. In the end the scowl softened into a look of gratitude as he was guided to the only chair in the room. "A Hale, uncle? Really? Please tell me not Gerard."

The look of disgust on his uncles face was clearly revolted as he said, "Please give me credit for better taste than that. I'd just as soon set myself on fire and rip out my own throat than even think about that man anywhere near my bed. No Christopher is my mate, or was my mate. We were together several times and then…Gerard caught me in the woods alone. He warned me if I ever saw Chris again he would kill his own son before letting the abomination of a wolf lover be in his line. Then the entire family picked up and moved away and I… apparently I went a bit mad, at least according to your mother."

Peter rubbed his temple with a frown of pained concentration as he continued, "I don't remember anything of that time for a couple of years. All I know is I woke up in Eichen House and was forced to stay there for several months and by the time I got out I had lost two years of my life."

"Gervais," Stiles said out of the blue and both men stared at him in confused suspicion. "Exactly how disapproving was the Hale Alpha?"

Peter though taken aback by the question replied, "Very, not threatening to kill me angry but bad enough."

"Bad enough to erase your memory?" he asked boldly.

"What…oh my god, oh my god." Peter was suddenly up and pacing the loft. Cursing in several different languages, as he stalked back and forth across the wood floor.

"What's going on?" Cora said coming over to where Stiles stood by Derek his hand on the older mans shoulder. Derek had slumped in his seat as he recalled a barely there memory from when he was younger.

"Peter was yelling at mom and dad and a couple of the others. "You can't have my baby, I won't let you take my baby. I'll leave the Pack first." Dad and the others were holding him down and…I thought he had his back arched but it was really his stomach cause I saw…I saw it move. Dad and the other men held him while mom put her claws into the back of his neck. They were all so still then," he looked up at his uncle with tears in his eyes at the memory, his uncle had frozen as he heard Derek speaking, "I thought you were dead. I ran into the woods, I don't know what happened after that. I put the memory to the back of my mind. When you came back you didn't remember any of it and I convinced myself I had just dreamed the whole thing."

"She took your memories of being pregnant, of having the baby, she probably tried to take your memories of Chris too because she couldn't believe you could love an Argent." Stiles said and there was a tone in his voice that was surprisingly volatile. "Mates are too deeply ingrained to be erased though."

"Back when America was still being called the New World, there was a settlement called Roanoke. There was a man called James Gervais, he was a different line but descended from the Argents. He made an allegiance with several members of the local Indian tribe, who unbeknownst to him were also a Pack of werewolves. They helped them build shelters before the winter came, helped them with hunting, in return he surprisingly helped them with medicine lore."

"He fell in love with a hunter in the tribe, the tribes War Chief. The Hunter also was a werewolf and when Gervais found out he was shocked but they had made a mating bond. Gervais went on a hunting trip, he returned to find his mate very pregnant and that the town having discovered his unnatural affection for the heathen threw him in shackles and later that night burned him at the stake.

The wolves who recognized the scent of burning meat were concerned for their supposed allies ran to the village of Roanoke and the hunter saw his lover burning. He and the others of the pack went made and ripped the entire village apart. Only a few escaped into the woods, and he lost his child because he changed. His fellow Alpha the Chief of Peace, erased the memory of his lost child but couldn't erase the memory of his lover, only of his death."

"It's called the Curse of Gervais, because you can't forget your mate," Stiles concluded with a grim expression on his face. I think it's time to change Boyd and Issac and since Talia doesn't want Malia in her Pack would you like to adopt her into ours Derek?"

"Ours?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow and a slightly watery smirk at the younger man.

Whiskey colored eyes sparkled as the teen replied, "Shut up," before pulling out his phone. He pushed speed dial and when the person on the other end answered, "Can you meet us at the Loft, we have some things to discuss. Oh and can you stop by the station and bring my dad with you?"


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N~ Yes I know very, very late update and I apologize profusely. Real life and a severe case of writer's block though has been both wonderful and a monster all in one. Got to see my younger son after a couple of years. It was the wonderful part. My older son got transferred all the way across country that wasn't so wonderful. Also caught a stomach bug that is hanging on like a tick. Yeah gross! Here it is though finally Also please be aware there is a language warning for this chapter. So you have been warned. Please review that helps a lot with knocking down the writer's block. Enjoy! ~A**

**Chapter 21**

Jackson worried the hem of his t-shirt as he watched the by-play between Peter and Malia. To say it was painfully awkward would be understating matters. But even he could see the nearly aching need for each other. Malia desperately wanted someone maybe even needed to be taken care of and it was also obvious that Peter wanted someone to take care of.

Jackson could understand that. His parents had taken very good care of him, right up until after they told him that he was adopted. Right after that, Jackson had become convinced, his parents only cared if he did them proud. Something to his own mind that he didn't seem capable of caring for him anymore. Now it didn't matter what he did it would never be good enough.

Truth was he was sort of jealous of the were-coyote, started out the day alone. Now she had a few cousins, a father, and if the Hale Pack adopted her, she would have aunts, uncles and even more cousins. Although the way the others were talking that might not happen. Somehow though he recognized that even if the Hale Alpha refused to accept her, she would still have a place in the pack that he himself was now a part of.

He drew a deep breath, convincing himself it wasn't fear of rejection that made him have the nervous feeling. After all he knew this girl, well not knew but was aware of. They nodded and occasionally smiled at each other in the school hallways, that was some kind of relationship, wasn't it? Without waiting for the nerves to build back up Jackson walked over to the smaller woman and asked her, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She looked at him a little strangely before saying easily, "Sure," and led him out of the loft. He pondered the odd look she had given him and realized this was the first time he had actually talked to her that wasn't just banal greetings or polite small talk.

He followed her down the stairs out through the back of the building. He noticed this part of the building hadn't been worked on yet, as there was still graffiti and trash all over the place. She led him out back and through the overgrown field that was probably where the loading and logistics took place of the former business. There were a few buildings some in fair condition others falling in on themselves. She led him to the edge of the fenced in area and turned to him saying, "So what did you want to talk about."

"Being a werewolf, your sister bit me and left, the way Derek tells it that's not what's supposed to happen," he blurted out in a rush, half afraid he would lose his nerve. "I have no idea how to control it, what I should and shouldn't be able to do, and now Derek is going to have Issac and Boyd to deal with not to mention the stuff with Malia and your Uncle. I assume there is eventually going to be a confrontation between well "us" and "them", being the other Hale Pack. Is there… can she…use Alpha influence to control me if we end up in a confrontation against each other?"

"That depends," Cora said with a knowing smile, "would you choose to be on her side?"

Jackson gave a scowl as he replied, "Hell no, she abandoned me, I don't…I don't owe her any loyalty."

"Then you've already made your choice. You'll feel the pull, but since you have already made your choice of who your Alpha is. She won't be able to influence you." Cora said confidently. "Anything else?"

Jackson sighed and gave her a weary gaze as he said, "Tons?"

She actually laughed at him and covered her mouth in surprise. Jackson honestly enjoyed the sound of her laugh, and thought he would like very much to hear it again. She looked at him for a minute as she tilted her head and said, "So we'll keep going off and on when we can. Got any questions for right now?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek watched his uncle and was surprised at his behavior. The older man was always charming of course, even when he was about to rip your throat out. This wasn't charming, well it was he supposed but this was more like a proud parents charm. Stiles was trying to talk to the young woman about her memories when they all heard a knock on the loft door. Stiles held up a finger and said, "Be right back."

He went to the door and when he pulled it back there stood Allison, his dad, Lydia and Scott. He stared at his friend blankly then his eyes flashed to Allison, who returned his gaze pointedly. He sighed after they shared their non-verbal argument and then stood aside to let the small group into the loft.

John Stilinski looked at his son suspiciously as he finally stepped aside to let them past. Then he saw who else was in the loft and his agitation ratcheted up.

Peter Hale was an excellent physician and a generous an from all accounts but there was something about the man that rubbed John the wrong way. The fact he spent a lot of time was Mellissa, even if it was for legitimate reasons, was probably part of the problem.

The Sheriff was willing to admit even if only to himself that he had fallen for Mellissa in the past few years since Claudia died and if he had thought there was a chance in hell with the woman he could probably have put aside his grief over Claudia by now.

As it was the older Hale was standing beside, a young teenaged girl who he was fairly certain was wearing a t-shirt he recognized as belonging to Stiles. He liked to think he was an involved parent but some of the teenagers here he didn't recognize. He remembered all of the Hale family because of the case that had made him Sheriff.

He knew Lydia from the crush Claudia had told him their son had on the redhead from way back when. He didn't recognize the young brunette who had come to pick he and Scott up from his house Scott had identified her as his girlfriend Allison, although neither of the two males had any idea what was going on. She seemed to have an idea and apparently had more of a relationship than Scott was aware of. Lydia , Scott and the Sheriff were guided over to where a surprisingly comfortable looking couch was set up.

The sheriff noticed that the young woman he hadn't recognized was nodding vigorously at both Derek and Peter Hale, both of the younger men were smiling at her reassuringly.

He looked around distractedly for his son and found Stiles by the door of the loft with a teenaged man and woman. The man was blond, attractive and slightly sorter than Stiles. The woman was dark haired and dark eyed and resembled Derek well enough he imagined he was looking at the younger sister, Cora. He thought the young man looked familiar from the Sports section of the local newspaper.

Stiles suddenly looked up and over not at his father but at where the Hale men were. John looked over as well and saw the younger of the two staring back at his son he wasn't smiling anymore but his eyes had a soft expression in them as they stared at each other.

Then as if they had been having a conversation Derek nodded his head at Stiles who said something to the two teens he had been talking to. Everyone seemed to move closer to the couch and sat on the floor around it.

Issac placed a stool in front of the couch for Stiles to sit on. He smiled at the teen gratefully but still stared at the seat suspiciously. The sheriff understood Stiles caution, his son was not the most graceful of teens. A stool could be a lethal weapon where he was concerned.

"Yeah, okay so apparently, I'm here to bring you into our world. Your world runs alongside the one we're in. I'm a Spark, in my case it means I'm a magic user in training." He indicated the older woman in the room and said, "That's my teacher, my mentor, her name is Mary Spenser."

"That's Cora, Derek, and Peter Hale," and he went over to the young dark haired blond and muttered a question to the young woman. There were smiles from several of the people around the loft, as she nodded. "They're all werewolves and this is Malia Hale, she is a were coyote."

The sheriff being a trained professional didn't miss the way Peter Hale puffed up like a rooster when the girl was introduced as Malia Hale and he finally recognized the facial similarities between the two.

"Jackson, is a new werewolf, Issac and Boyd will be werewolves soon. Allison is a werewolf hunter. Danny is a hacker, who is considering becoming a werewolf but hasn't decided yet. No we do not just turn people willy nilly. It's their decision."

"Werewolves work in packs, if you're not in a pack. You're an Omega, if you're not in a pack you're also basically a dead werewolf walking. You're a target for other werewolves, packs, hunters and other things that go bump in the night." Stiles continued with a deep breath. "Other things that go bump include, witches, trolls, fae, fairys, pixies, succubi, incubi, demons, possessing spirits of various types, ghouls, other types of were's, ghosts, and other things. No as far as we know there are not vampires, especially not that use hair gel to excess and sparkle." Stiles rambled.

"Werewolf hierarchy, Alpha's are the leaders, Betas are the seconds, lieutenants, warriors. Whatever name you want to use. Omegas are usually the ones who don't exactly fit into the hierarchy but are still under the protection of the pack sometimes. Sometimes they are just outside of the pack, or completely without a pack.." Jackson, and eventually Issac and Boyd will be bitten to become werewolves. It will take them time to learn control, Malia," the girl looked up at the mention of her name and smiled shyly but gratefully for being included in the discussion, "Derek, Cora and Peter are all born werewolves so they have the advantage of having had their whole lives to learn the control they need during the full moon."

"Because of the dangers inherent to being part of this town, we have all decided to extend the offer of including you in our pack, for your protection. This will include special ammunition, which Allison will provide to protect you from rogue wolves and the other things that will be attracted to Beacon Hills. Scott this will include your mom of course if you think she might need it." Stiles had started pacing as he spoke and fidgeting in his usual Stilesian way.

"Allison and the others will also train you in some hand to hand skills that will hopefully keep you alive until the rest of the pack can get to you if you find yourself under attack." Stiles paused and looked at the five people perched on and around the couch. Allison sat on the arm next to Scott who was staring at his friend mouth hanging open. Danny was actually sitting on the back of the couch nodding at Stiles with a small smile on his face. Lydia had an expectant expression on her face like she were waiting for the punch line, and his father…

The Sheriff had an angry expression on his face and when Stiles paused John Stilinski looked over his shoulder at Mary.

"This is what you're teaching him to live in a fantasy world where, werewolves and boogey men are real? How is that helping him control what's wrong with him?"

Suddenly the passive maternal figure was gone and an angry woman stood in her place. "There is nothing wrong with your son, John Stilinski. You have seen what he can do, do you think it was a figment of your imagination? Witches, magic and Sparks are real. Werewolves are real, everything else he mentioned is real, plus a lot more…."

Before she could finish, the Sheriff was walking to the door of the loft, shaking his head as he went, "I knew this would be a waste of time," he said as he reached for the loft door. Suddenly he was staring into glowing red eyes, fangs and a growling voice, that commanded, Get our ass back to the couch and sit down, Stiles wasn't finished explaining how we're keeping you alive." When the Sheriff stood still and stared at the Alpha, Derek roared, "Now!"

Stiles waited for his father to back away from the Alpha and toward the couch, when the older Stilinski had finally retaken his seat, Stiles said, "I did only say that born were's had longer to work on control, I should have added that some were better at it than others." He looked over his shoulder at Derek who merely morphed back and shrugged his shoulders at the Spark. Stiles shook his head and looked back at the occupants of the couch.

Before he could say anything else, Lydia muttered, "It's a trick, makeup, lighting. This isn't real."

"It's real." Jackson replied as he went to kneel in front of his former girlfriend and said, "Watch me Lydia," and he morphed carefully, painfully. His eyes glowed yellow as he gazed at her, carefully fingers reached out to trace along his brow and down his nose. Then he reached down to look at his hand and the claws that were extended beyond the fingers.

"How is this even possible?" then she asked, "Does it hurt?"

He merely nodded, still not quite in control of his voice, he flinched slightly when the Sheriff and Scott reached out to touch his face and hands as well. But withstood the examination stoically.

Stiles cleared his throat to regain the attention of his audience on the couch, "Kind of rude to poke and prod at someone without their permission guys, just so you know. Its called personal space for a reason. And yes dad manners matter for supernatural's as well." Stiles said and no one missed the sharp tone or the slight amusement in his voice.

"So do we believe the great and powerful Stiles now or what?" the teen said as he stared at the group sitting on the couch as Jackson stood back up and moved over to stand by Cora. "Ego Stiles, ego." said Mary as she came to sit behind the teen on thin air. She drew her legs up into a modified lotus position as she waited for him to continue. "So here's the deal like I said there are things that go bump in the night that aren't werewolves. Derek's mom and the Hale pack have always been the protectors of Beacon Hills against those other things."

"Derek and I plan on continuing that tradition, with this pack. We are going to protect the people, the innocents of this town from the dark things that are drawn here. You guys are our nearest and dearest. That means that you might become targets, we wanted you to know so that you could be aware of the dangers. So that you can help protect yourselves." Stiles continued. "I would also like you to join us for Pack meetings which will be announced at a later time after this coming full moon."

"What happens after the full moon?" Scott asked incredulously, "You all turn into werewolves and run around the woods chasing fluffy rabbits?"

"No Issac and Boyd will be bitten and will learn to control their werewolf side for the next full moon. At the moment Malia may become part of the pack here, we don't know." He looked back over his shoulder to give the were-coyote a reassuring smile before adding, "Derek and the others however will start training soon in how to fight with their new strength, agility and senses and I want you all to train with them so that you have a better chance of surviving if you are ever attacked." Stiles explained.

Then looking at his father, Stiles added, "Allison call your father, I want him to meet me and my dad at the station within the hour."

"Why?" Allison, Derek and the Sheriff all demanded as one. Stiles looked around at the trio with a slight smile on his face. Allison was truly confused, Derek was concerned and his father was suspicious. "If my Dad is going to be part of this life and part of this pack I want him and his men to have the proper tools and ammunition. Allison's father is an arms dealer and he is also a hunter who knows what is going on in this world. This way we know where he stands, he knows where we stand and yet I do it with a healthy dose of suspicion thus we'll be doing business at the station and not here."

"Dad you will be training with the new weapons and ammo how much you tell your men, that's up to you. You'll also be training with the wolves in hand to hand and so forth. You may be older that doesn't mean the things we may be facing will be respectful of their elders." Stiles said and there was a harshness in his voice that had a few in the loft staring at him but it was only Derek, Scott and his father who recognized the roughness in his voice as fear for his father and in the potential of loosing his only remaining parent. Both of the younger men understood the emotion quite well.

So did Stilinski Sr. who said, "Hey, enough with the elder comments thank you very much. We will have to plan it around my work schedule and that in itself may be a bit of a challenge. Cause it's a bit of a trek to come all the way out here on a weekly basis."

"Daily," Derek interrupted. When the sheriff and the others looked at the new Alpha in horror he added, "To start with, you all have to be assessed for your individual strengths and weaknesses. You have to get into fighting form and then we'll work from that."

Scott groaned and flopped back on the couch in a frustrated fashion, "We kind of had plans?" he said looking over at Allison then at his friend in a beseeching manner.

"You still do, just think of it as a group date," Stiles said with a guileless smile.

The look his best friend gave him was not forgiving, as he said, "Why the hell are you hanging around these freaks Stiles." Ignorant of the fact that over half of the people in the loft were bristling at his comments, Scott continued, "How do you know all of this is even real? Really fantastic special effects aside, how do you even know any of this is real or that your boyfriend is even a good guy?"

A tense silence followed that statement that even Scott couldn't ignore. He looked around and noticed that Cora and Jackson were both in their beta forms and Allison was staring at him in stunned and pained shock as she moved away from him.

Stiles was giving him a look that he had never seen on his face before as he replied, "Oh I don't know how about we ask your girlfriend? Allison do werewolves and other supernatural creatures exist in the world, especially around Beacon Hills."

"Yes," she replied with simple honesty.

"Could you list a few, for our stubborn-assed, rock-brained, head in their ass audience members please?" the Spark asked in a pleasant tone as he stared daggers at Scott.

"Were's of all kinds, skin walkers, brownies, fairies, wendigos, kanimas, the possessed of various kinds, fae of all kinds, dwaerkins, basically dwarves and people who live underground of various types, kitsune of several types, incubi, succubi, lamia and other creatures that steal youth and/or sexual energy. Only mentioned them because they especially rely on teens and younger people for their food supply. So that makes us a target rich environment. Then we start getting into the trolls, me folk although they're closer to the ocean and we haven't even gotten to the Native American culture like Sasquatch, chupacabra, and then there are the ones who came with the various immigrant peoples who moved into the area…."

"Stop, stop, stop!" Scott yelled trying to cover his ears without success, but Allison being a much better listener than her boyfriend, did stop. She was looking at her boyfriend like everything she said was perfectly normal. For her it was, or for her family anyway. "How do you know about all of this. Tell me you don't believe these guys,"

Allison shrugged, "I believe my dad, my family history, we hunt these things Scott. My aunt set a house on fire in the hope of ending the Hale pack. She didn't care who she killed to do it. Humans, werewolves, women and children were all in that house and if some good Samaritans hadn't come along and saved them, everyone in that house would have burned to death. If you think that part is made up ask the Sheriff, he was the first on scene, ask the prosecutor and judge who threw her in jail for it. It's real Scott, get over it." she said and he noticed the edge of hostility to her voice.

"No," he denied again as he stood and headed for the door of the loft, stomping as he went like a three year old in the throes of a temper tantrum. "I don't believe it." He detoured to get in Derek's face and said, "You brainwashed all of these people to believe you, to believe that monsters can be good guys. My best friend, my girlfriend, but I don't believe you. You stay away from me and my mom."

"That will be a bit of a problem for me Mr. McCall as I work with her on a daily basis," came the oily tones of Peter who was trying to keep his daughter calm through the stress and tension in the loft. Scott's shoulder merely hunched at the response before he slammed out of the door of the loft, or tried to do. The door didn't exactly cooperate.

Stiles and Derek stared at each other for a moment after Scott's angry departure. Then Stiles looked back at Allison apologetically and said, "Sorry that didn't exactly go as planned, and despite what Scott said Mama McCall is still in a dangerous position. A lot of the things we will be protecting Beacon Hills from will probably see the hospital as a sitting duck even when Peter is there. I don't feel comfortable with her as a potential target,"

"Whereas me you have no trouble throwing under the bus," Peter said with dry amusement.

"Only because I know you'd probably lift the bus off of yourself and start offering first aid to the passengers as they get off the bus." Stiles said with a shrug.

"Having seen the man in action, I second that," Allison said and though there had been a furrow in her brow over Scott's reaction it was obvious she was growing comfortable being part of this crowd.

The meeting was continued with work and training schedules worked out for everyone. Lydia provided a work out space by calling her mother who was part owner of a gym that was opening between the school and the sheriffs department. Lydia arranged to get keys for all of the pack members.

Malia asked her father who Jim was and after her father had explained, the were coyote wondered why they all just didn't go into the woods. No one knew how to explain that the woods were the exclusive territory of the other Hale Pack.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was sitting in his bedroom at his desk. Rubbing his hands along the brush of hair on his scalp. The meeting between his dad, Chris Argent, Allison and himself had gone well, or better than he had expected at least. He had thought that Argent would deny everything for at least half of the meeting.

Only the first ten minutes had been a waste of time, then Allison had shown up. Given her dad a look that was a classic kid shaming a parent look before sitting between Stiles and his dad. Stiles prided himself on the observational skills he had. His dad was an exceptional teacher, but Stiles also thought his ADD was a contributing factor. He was aware that because he had to concentrate to focus on one thing it made him more aware of everything around him. It was his working theory anyway.

Allison looked beautiful, strong and angry when she came in and Stiles saw her playing it as being angry with her father on keeping secrets that could get innocent people hurt or killed. Which was partially the truth, but only partially he also saw a sadness in her eyes. Stiles had a feeling the sadness and at least part of the anger was from an argument with Scott and probably a break up between the two.

Although he was sorry about the breakup especially where his friend was concerned, he was glad the huntress was using the anger over the split constructively in this case. Stiles and Allison had made a list of things the sheriff and his staff would find useful against the supernatural. Rowan wood batons, wolves bane laced bullets, tasers, mistletoe laced pepper spray.

"Magically enhanced restraints aren't something I usually keep in stock. I'll have to ask around and get back to you on that." Chris explained after they got past the denials and finally got down to business.

"That's aright I've got that covered. I really should have read this list a little more before we gave it to you, sorry." Stiles said as he studied the list thoughtfully. Meanwhile both Chris Argent and his father looked at him suspiciously for a few minutes.

"Care to elaborate on that statement, Mr. Stilinski?" Argent asked in a calculatingly friendly expression.

"Sure," said Stiles gutlessly without even bothering looking up from what he was reading. "I'm learning to use magic, so I can re-awaken the Nemeton to keep those who intend harm from trying to draw dark power from it."

Finally looking up from the material he was reading he said with a cold calculating expression on his own face, "I already borrowed some of dad's restraints to help a couple of friends get through their first change and magicked them. That worked pretty well so I'll take a couple at a time and magic them until I get through all of them. Then try and work my way through everybody's individual stuff to add protections and so forth."

His cold gaze had faded and their was the look of a much older soul inside his eyes. "Tell me Mr. Argent, you probably couldn't care less for the kids in this town, but what about Allison. Is there anything you wouldn't do to protect your daughter?"

"Stiles, are you…" the Sheriff began, only to find the man next to him stiffening.

Chris Argent said sharply, "If you're threatening my daughter…"

"I'm not threatening anyone, unfortunately there are certain people in this town who consider the mere presence of an Argent in town a threat. The Hales for instance, you may not have known what your sister was up to when she seduced a fifteen year old and then tried to burn his house down with his entire family inside. The Hale's however from what I understand aren't entirely convinced that she acted outside of the family purview."

"Your father and wife for instance are quite convincing in their lack of guilt over the matter. Not that they weren't aware guilt but that they wouldn't have felt all that guilty if she had been more successful," Stiles said with a quick look at Allison who was looking slightly guilty but unafraid as he continued, "Allison has been forthcoming in her apologies to Derek and eventually will get around to the Hale pack we hope."

In the meantime the new pack has accepted her as a human member and that protection will extend to you as long as you remain non-threatening. Your wife and father however are not going to be accepted by the pack with anything but suspicion. Just so you know." Stile offered informatively.

"New pack?" Argent asked suspiciously before adding, "Just so you know Talia Hale will not accept a new pack in her territory." he sneered as he continued, "I think you're the ones who are going to need the protection when Alpha Hale finds out you've invaded her territory and are creating a pack right under her nose."

"Oh I don't know about that," Stiles said and the grin he gave was just the right amount of chilling to have Argent lean back in his chair away from the kid. "I think my mentor is explaining to Alpha Hale exactly how little choice she has in the matter. She won't like it but she won't be able to argue either."

"Mr. Stilinski I was honored to meet Alpha Hale when we arranged the treaty…" Chris said cautiously, "She is an Alpha Stiles, which means if she makes up her mind about something, I don't think anything your teacher could say would change her mind."

Stiles smiled and said, "Clearly you've never met Mary, Mr. Argent," and that was when Argent saw the teens eyes flash fiery black. The older man leapt from the chair he was sitting in and actually tried to pull the gun out of his back harness. Fumbling, he stumbled away from the desk only to have Stiles appear in front of him as the Sheriff pulled his gun.

It was chaos for several seconds as everyone was screaming except for Stiles. Allison was screaming at him terrified, when Stiles suddenly grabbed both of his arms. The boys eyes were still black, but the eyes weren't really dark they had flames in them. It was more an ember like effect. Chris was still terrified, convinced the boy was some kind of possessed being that put his daughter, the Sheriff, everyone in the department….he had to react, he had to protect….

"You have no reason to fear me, Argent. As long as you do no harm, neither will I. By the way my father at this range could put a hole in you I could drive my Beauty through. So relax." Chris didn't exactly relax so much as stop struggling to reach for his gun. The reason, Stiles voice came from inside his mind not the boys mouth.

"Dad chill, he just saw something that freaked him out. Put it away and calm down. I really don't want Allison to watch her dad die here today, anymore than you do." the boy didn't even look over his shoulder to see if he had listened. Instead he kept looking into Chris' eyes as if he were looking into his soul. Chris Argent watched as the teen's eyes melted back into their normal caramel color.

"Stiles!" the Sheriff said in a highly agitated tone and then with a frustrated huff put his gun back in the holster. Before he signaled to one of his deputies outside the office that had drawn down on Argent when he had seen the Sheriff had his gun pointed at the somewhat prominent citizen.

"Allison is part of our pack. Yes Mr. Argent I said our pack. Right now and for as long as she wishes to be she is, as far as that goes you are also. The rest of your family I'm sorry to say haven't proven themselves worthy of trust. You yourself are on probationary status." the Spark said as he paced the tiny office, "While Kate considering she is not only a pedophile, an arsonist and convicted because she tried to murder the entire Hale pack. When she was supposed to be in a treaty with the clan, is extremely lucky she's not dead."

"Stiles!" the Sheriff said quelling.

Only to have his son snap back, "Dad, if it were me and Mom and I was the one that Kate went after, what would you have done? Mr. Argent if it were Allison, what would you have done?"

The two men gazed at the teen and then shared a look. They didn't actually answer Stiles but they shared a nod of the head that he was pretty sure an assent that if anything like that did happen. The pair of fathers would be on the same team and whoever was on the other side would not be walking, creeping, or whatever away unscathed.

After that their business had been successfully concluded without further incident. Stiles had wanted to return to he loft, but when he trudged out to his Jeep and almost as soon as he put the key in the ignition was fighting to stay awake. He decided to go home and try and catch a nap unfortunately once he was home he hadn't been able to get his mind to shut off, long enough to actually go to sleep.

He was startled by a tap at his bedroom window and even more startled to find Derek standing outside on his roof with an eyebrow raised. When Stiles still sat in his desk chair staring at him after a minute Derek asked, "You going to let me in?"

"Depends you going to slam me into the nearest flat surface ad tell me how stupid the meeting was or something?" Stiles asked tiredly.

Derek's gaze sharpened on the teens face as he replied, head cocked to the side, "It didn't go well, but it did go better than I expected. So I'll ask again are you going to let me in?"

Stiles sighed, "The Argents are going to provide my dad and his deputies, the ones he trusts anyway, with the appropriate weapons and ammo to deal with the supernatural. So another positive that came about through tedious and time consuming negotiations." he said with a wan smile.

"So that's why you look like that," Derek nodded with a look as if he had finally solved a puzzle.

"Look like what," Stiles wiped his face with his palm as he continued, "What do I look like, do I have something on my face?"

"No, you just get this little pinched thing between your brows when you have or are working yourself up to a headache. When's the last time you slept, ate, drank any water?"

Holding up his hands to ward off the too many questions which honestly his brain couldn't keep up with right now, Stiles replied, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're starting to sound like Mary, or me in mother hen mode. Which by the way is a totally sexist and somewhat offensive term. I am neither feathered nor peckish in nature" The palms of his hands came up to rub at his eyes as he added, "Don't know, not sure and when I got to the loft I think?"

"Right," Derek said, before standing and stalking towards Stiles and the teen eeped as he backed up into the edge of his bed and fell onto his mattress.

"Hey no shoving into flat surfaces, remember?" Stiles complained.

"I didn't shove, you tripped and feel, and by the way I thought you would at least appreciate that it is a soft surface. Relax and stay put." He walked out of Stiles room and downstairs to the kitchen. He rummaged through the kitchen and fridge and proceeded to make the teen a sandwich and some chips before grabbing a bottle of water. He worked quickly and jogged back up the stairs to find Stiles lying spread eagled on the bed. His eyes were closed but his brow was still creased so Derek knew he was still awake.

"Hey, you ready to eat a little something?" he asked as he set the water on the bedside table and gave Stiles the small plate with the sandwich on it.

Stiles sat up with a long groan and took the plate, he took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, a small smile graced his lips as he swallowed. "Thanks, it's just the way I like it. I think you're going to have to talk to me to keep me awake to finish it though."

Derek's expressive eyebrows shot up as he said, "You're usually the one who does the talking in this relationship."

"Yeah well that needs to become a little more equal don't you think?" Stiles asked as he reached for the bottle of water and downed half of it in one long gulping swallow.

He covered his mouth to muffle the guffaw of laughter that Derek's horrified expression caused. Calming himself down a bit but unable to wipe the smile off his face he added, "It won't kill you to talk Derek. Easy topic, what led you to architecture?" he asked before taking another bite of the sandwich.

Derek relaxed slightly and proceeded to open up to the teen. About architecture, the school he had attended, plans he had made. But it wasn't all easy the Spark would throw in more challenging questions. About the night of the rogue Alpha's attack, people he had dated, his feelings toward his family since being thrown out of the Pack, even his sexuality. A subject that had both of them blushing and Stiles taking it back after a moment saying, "Ignore me I'm a little more loopy than normal."

The fact that Derek could detect a hint of what he thought might be arousal from the younger man, had nothing to do with his answer. For some reason he thought he should be honest with Stiles, "No it's fine it's not something I usually discuss with people. Werewolves, the born ones are usually bisexual, sometimes leaning one way or the other, but inherently bi. I usually prefer a female lover, but I have had male companions." He replied easily and then had Stiles reeling when he asked him the same question.

Stiles flailed adorably before taking another swallow of water, looking up at the older man shyly, "I haven't…had a lover. Lydia has been my crush since the third grade but I have found in the past several months an attraction to the male form."

The last part squeaked out as his thoughts took over and he remembered that most of the time the male form he had found attractive was Derek's, he just barely managed to slap his brain to mouth filter into place before he actually said anything aloud about that.

Derek looked at him seriously as he said, "It's not unnatural, despite what some people say. It's the most natural and beautiful thing in the world and don't let anyone tell you differently." he offered gently. He took the empty bottle of water and the saucer back and stood to take them downstairs before he added, "You want to take a shower, might help you relax and relieve some of that tension." Stiles mind instantly went to the gutter, but Derek added, "Facing Scott, your father and Chris Argent all in one day couldn't have been easy. But you were right it had to be done, and things will be better I think, with them and Lydia all in the know."

"Some things maybe," Stiles agreed as he stood and stretched, several bones and muscles creaking and cracking as he did so. He missed the admiring glances from the older man as he did this. "Scott and me I'm not so sure about."

Derek looked away before Stiles could see his face but he offered supportively, "You said you and Scott had been pretty inseparable from the time you were…what toddlers? Close as brothers? He's had a shock, his whole world view has been changed. Give him some time he'll come around and…even if he doesn't it doesn't really change things between you. It'll be awkward and painful between you, but you'll always be brothers by bond if not by blood. Nothing really ever changes that."

"Ok, wait, first off, kudos on the longest free flow talk yet." Stiles said with a cheeky grin and two thumbs up at the new Alpha. A gesture which startled a snort out of the werewolf.

"Secondly," he said with a more reassuring grin, "pot, kettle. Take your own advice, Wolf Man." he said as he grabbed his pajama pants and t-shirt from the bed and headed into the bathroom backwards, tapping his temple lightly with his forefinger, and promptly tripping over the doorjamb to the bathroom. He recovered his footing quickly and called out, "Food for thought," as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

Derek chuckled to himself as he headed down the stairs to rinse the plate and dispose of the water bottle in the appropriate bin. He waited downstairs in the kitchen as he heard the water come on in the shower and thought about something his mother had once told he and his siblings.

"Your anchor when you find it can remind you of your humanity. It can be an emotion, a scent, a sound, an object or a person. It's what keeps you human, keeps you sane, gives you the control you need to be a werewolf and not a rogue. Your mate however is the one thing that makes your life worth living. They are the other half of your soul. When you meet them, they become a part of you as surely as the wolf is a part of you. To ignore that will drive you insane as surely as ignoring your wolf would do." Why he remembered this particular lesson from his mother at this moment he wasn't sure.

His sister Laura liked to say he had the emotional depth of a cucumber, without the refreshing qualities. Stiles though he teased about his conversational skills Had always dealt with him as if they were equals on the intelligence scale. Derek though knew that while Stiles liked to make light of his own intelligence that the younger man was actually probably close to an equal to Derek's own mother. Possibly even surpassing the woman in some respects. Either way he felt that Stiles would be important to him, either as an anchor or a possibly even as a mate. He knew his wolf already recognized the boy and on some instinctive level was protective of Stiles.

That thought reminded him to listen in to discover that the teen had apparently finished his shower and was currently having a one sided argument with his pajamas while putting them on. He laughed at some of the colorful language, and then was up the stairs and wavering outside of the bathroom door as he heard a yelp come from the human inside.

Knocking on the door he called, "Stiles, you okay in there?"

"No. Don't come in," which of course prompted the Alpha to open the door. Stiles had his pajama pants on and his shirt was still dangling from the fingertips of one hand while the other was grazing through the short hair on his scalp which had a surprisingly deep blue streak running along the side of his head. A streak of blue that hadn't been there when the younger man had walked into the bathroom a few minutes earlier.

"Hmmph," Derek said a little startled as he asked, "Did you decide to dye your hair or something?" in a curious tone. As he spoke he reached out to touch the hair only to draw his fingers back at the last minute remembering he hadn't been invited to touch.

"No. I didn't," Stiles said in an awestruck tone. Running his fingers along his scalp as he continued, "I was cussing, my mother used to call it cursing up a blue streak and that got me thinking about how cool it would be to have a blue streak in my hair and I happened to glance in the mirror as I was putting my shirt on and there it was."

Stiles revelation had Derek raising his hand again as he gave in to the desire to stroke his fingers through the younger mans hair. It was short and surprisingly soft and still damp from the shower. Nothing came off as he looked at his fingers and then gave in to the desire again, "It's not coming off." Derek said a little unnecessarily.

As he looked down he realized that Stiles was more focused on him than the blue streak in his hair. Then he noticed, really noticed that Stiles was bare-chested. Pale skin dotted with moles here and there. Skin banded with muscles, not body builder but more runner trim, athletic. Lips a plump pink parted under the Alpha's gaze as the teen leaned into Derek's hand on his scalp.

Derek felt the tug under his heart, and gasped as he saw the boys eyes suddenly flash to black and embers. He leaned down and suddenly everything went red as Derek's eyes answered the flash of Stiles eyes with one from the Alpha within. Derek knew what it meant and he wanted to let Stiles know before they went farther but first he wanted, just wanted. The older man had enough control to ask first, "Stiles, do you…"

"Yes," the Spark gasped out, before latching onto the Alpha's lips. The kiss was raw and fierce before Derek placed his hand at the juncture of jaw and throat. Stiles settled and the pair enjoyed each others taste and feel as the kiss became more about recognition rather than sexual hunger.

Derek recognized it wasn't going to go any further at the moment. For one thing Stiles was under-aged, for another he was the son of the sheriff. Finally, there was the fact that said sheriff, now had the ammo he needed to eliminate Derek easily, if he wanted to. It didn't mean they couldn't enjoy kissing each other.

Derek eased back and leaned his forehead against Stiles as the younger man panted for breath. His cheeks were flushed a rosy pink and his eyes were now solid black with a tinge of red glowing from them. Somehow it made him look more mature, as if a very old soul resided within the young mans body.

Stiles black eyes suddenly looked up into the Alpha's with trepidation, as he gasped, "Ok, was that just me or was it you and me or is this some kind of pity thing for the…"

Derek's mouth took the last sounds of the sentence before they could actually be heard. When he finally lifted his head again they were both gasping for air as Derek replied a little heatedly, "Not pity, and did that really feel like an only you thing?"

Stiles merely shook his head for the moment still a little too winded to speak. When he was able to speak again he leaned back slightly, oddly comforted to find the wolves arms wrapped securely around his waist. He gave the older man a smack to the arm and said with mock severity, "When were you going to tell me you were warm for my form,"

"Probably, when you were old enough to actually do something about it?" Derek reminded gently, before leaning his head down and taking a deep breath of the teen's scent from his neck. Storm and herb, ozone, rain, basil and mint and that Stiles scent he remembered from when they had first met.

"You realize that's going to be three years from now, right?" Stiles asked with a slight whine to his voice.

"Stiles. I liked you when I first met you and I was attracted to you. I've been fighting that attraction ever since. I can't do that anymore, but I'm also not going to break the law, or your father's trust. I've been waiting for you for years already, I think I can wait a few more," Derek said a little sheepishly, "There is something else that you need to know. You saw my eyes flash red, right?"

The teen nodded, still a little dazed, but the Alpha's eyes warmed to a crimson glow as he smiled affectionately at the younger man and said, "Your eyes did too, not red though I think they may later. Did you feel as if someone had pulled a string or something in your chest."

Stiles expression had cleared as Derek spoke and now was back to the sharp attentiveness he usually had, "Yeah it felt painful kind of like the breath got snatched out of me but also good, it was a little strange. You did too?" At the Alpha's nod he asked, "What does it mean?"

Grateful for the Sparks innate curiosity Derek replied, "It means we're mates. You and I are meant to be lovers. I thought it was possible when we first met but I wasn't certain until now. That feeling was a bond setting."

"Like we're married or something?" Stiles asked a little confused, his heartbeat though said he was clearly not nervous or unhappy with the thought of being mated to Derek. That made Derek more comfortable with the coming discussions. Discussions because he felt sure with Stiles curiosity there were sure to be more than one.

"Mating usually occurs in three stages for a werewolf, for an Alpha bond, five stages. First is the initial bond, that's what we both just experienced. For Alpha's its followed, usually fairly quickly by the Pack bond. The Alpha pair will start creating their Pack. Forging bonds with other were's and humans, sometimes with other supernatural's, like Sparks," he said with a smirk, "I already started that but you brought Lydia, Danny, your dad and Scott. You were hoping Scott would be more accepting of it?"

"Yeah, bad idea on my part. I should have recognized that he wasn't ready for this sort of thing. He's my brother though and I just hoped…" Stiles voice trailed off with a frustrated and sad expression on his face.

"Hey for now he's still an omega. He's Pack just not actually in the Pack," Derek said in a reassuring tone as he drew the Spark back towards him for comfort.

"So we kind of already started the Pack, Jackson I wouldn't have personally chosen but he does seem to be making a great example of a Beta." Stiles offered thoughtfully.

"He asked Cora for help. She's been teaching him after school." Derek replied while noticing that the younger man was getting a little chilled. His skin was chilled and still damp to the touch, he was still holding the t-shirt in one hand. Derek gently pulled the sleep shirt from the boys fingers and began to pull it over his head. Both of their eyes had finally shifted back to normal after they started talking about the bond. When Stiles head finally popped through the neck hole of his sleep shirt, Stiles drew back slightly and tilting his head to the side he said, "Well, that's interesting."

Stiles tried to pull out of the Alpha's grasp as he lunged for the bathroom mirror, He turned his head to the side and cried out, "Oh my gawd, are you serious."

There braided through the blue streak of his hair was now a streak of red woven in like Celtic knot work.

Derek heard the younger man's heart rate jack back up but before the teen could go on a rant. Derek drew him back into a deep kiss. Humming or purring soothingly as Stiles heart rate settled into a slightly slower rhythm.

"Stiles, you need to rest, I think your so tired you're kind of losing control of your magic right now. Not to mention I can feel you shivering from the cold right now," With that, the Alpha took Stiles by the arm and ushered him into the bedroom and had the younger man finish the bottle of water while he pulled back the covers.

Climbing under the covers, Stiles snorted tiredly before he said, "Yeah cause sleep is going to come calling to the person who can't stop planning for every contingency, because I'm starting to remember…"

"Stiles stop talking," Derek said gently, as he took off his jacket and then the t-shirt under it. He removed the belt from his jeans, which immediately slid slightly to settle a little lower on his hips.

As he settled on the other side of the bed, Stiles asked with interest, "What are you doing?"

Derek was removing his boots and responded, "You need something to take your mind off of everything that your mind is focused on. I thought I might help with that," he said as he gave the boy a smirk over his shoulder, before focusing on removing the other boot.

When he was done, he checked his phone and set the ringer to off, while he set the alarm to early morning. While he had no intention of anything happening of a sexual nature between he and Stiles tonight. He somehow didn't think Stiles father would give him the opportunity to explain that if he happened to come home from work in the morning and find the two together in bed. Derek wasn't going to take the chance.

He lay back and realized that while the teen was keeping his distance he was practically vibrating in the bed. Not so much from the cold, Derek imagined, no now it was from nerves. Reaching out, the werewolf dragged Stiles closer to him and pulled him flush to his side. The pair then worked to arrange themselves comfortably. Ending up with Stiles head on Derek's shoulder, his leg thrown casually across the Alpha's own legs. Derek's right arm was wrapped protectively around the shoulders of the Spark. While the pair had their fingers interlaced over the werewolves heart.

Stiles had groaned softly as he relaxed into the extremely comfortable position. Knots of tension that had been wound in every muscle group of his body suddenly relaxed and he could swear he actually felt something loosen and drift away, as he settled into place. "So what are the other parts of the bond you were talking about?"

"Stiles the whole point of this is for you to go to sleep. Not talk about the bond," seeing a stubborn expression settle on the teen's face, the Alpha sighed before saying. The first is the recognition bond, basically my wolf sees you and recognizes you as their potential mate. Second, like I said is the need to create a Pack. I have a feeling we're going to have a very diverse little group in our Pack. Were's, a couple of Spark's, Mary is a Spark right or is she a witch or druid maybe?"

"I never really thought to ask her but I'll do that tomorrow," Stiles said thoughtfully with a sleepy lilt to his voice.

Yeah, so were's, a Spark, whatever Mary is, a couple of Hunter's. Argent's no less. My mother will have a fit, humans, who knows what else. Going to bite Issac and Boyd in a few days. Yeah I'd say we've made a good start to our little family."

"Third step to the bond," he said and noticed that Stiles hadn't spoken or moved in a while, decided to test it and said, "is the Vulcan mind meld. Only really happens when a mated pair are able to communicate mentally with each other over long distances." When Stiles didn't react to the Vulcan mind meld part he knew the younger man was pretty well asleep but just to make sure he continued.

"Fourth is the bite, it's like a claiming. Kind of like an engagement for humans. It has the added benefit of making you able to communicate with the rest of the pack. That's only an Alpha pair though, so that we can coordinate attacks, defense and so forth."

"The final act is the consummation, and as a benefit you will have my healing, speed and strength," his brow wrinkled as he continued, "Of course, with you being a Spark, that could change everything because to my knowledge no Alpha has ever had a Spark for a mate."

He looked down at the man in his arms and smiled affectionately as Stiles snuffled in his sleep and snuggled deeper into Derek's shoulder. "Don't worry. Now that I've found you, I don't plan on letting you go." With that the Alpha closed his eyes and pulled Stiles closer to him. He dozed off with the amber eyed teen snoring in his arms.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Allison watched helplessly as the two werewolves holding her father took turns beating him, while the one holding her was making a lot of suggestive comments, and groping her sometimes painfully. She had disconnected that part of her that would have been disturbed by this situation. Her father went down again and Allison barely contained the whimper that tried to escape her throat.

"I'm bored." said the one not currently beating on her father, "let's finish them off and get rid of the bodies. Talia and some of the elders will be running the perimeter soon. We don't want to be caught with these two. Hell the blood scent will be hard to get rid of as it is."

"Hell we'll just tell her we went hunting, it'll be appropriate," said the one holding Allison, and laughed roughly at his own joke. Argent's have been killing our kind for centuries. That Kate bitch tried to kill our pack by burning the house down with nearly all of us inside, then that kid and the old woman saved us but wouldn't let us kill them. Where's the fun in that?" he said as he twisted her arm more painfully behind her back.

The one pounding on her father, suddenly raised his arm and the claws slid out of the end of his fingertips as he said, "Fine, though I wish we had more time to have fun with these two."

Suddenly a blur threw the clawed wolf into a tree trunk several feet away, before slamming into the one holding Allison. The werewolf beside her let out a howl that quickly devolved into a whimper as he fell to the ground. The dark shape beside her turned back to the one still holding her father who was staring at the wolfed out man beside her.

He stood between her and the other pair and when he spoke his voice sounded familiar and yet not, "I knew it would be you and your brothers who would be a problem. I told Talia that you didn't have two brain cells to rub together between the three of you. She should have killed the inbred three of you at birth." the man lisped. Taking two steps toward the remaining werewolf, the other shifted into his beta form before them wrapping a clawed hand around the throat of her father lifting him to his feet roughly.

"You shouldn't interfere old man. We're doing the world a favor by getting rid of these two," said the younger wolf, shaking the semi-conscious man in his grip for emphasis as he spoke. They're hunters. They're Argents. They're…"

"_Mine!" _roared the older werewolf as he stepped forward.

Then suddenly a much smaller form came from the darkness and was at the Beta's throat. With a howl he released, and tried to grab for the thing only to fin it quick and lethal. When he finally managed to grab its scruff with one clawed hand and pull it back. The coyote had pulled half of the Beta's throat with her before being thrown to the side as the werewolf grabbed for his throat in shock.

A gurgle was all that was heard instead of the howl that the Beta had obviously tried to make. The thing fell to its knees and it was obvious he was trying to wait for the healing to kick in. The werewolf still standing in front of her looked over to where the coyote was standing from where she had been thrown and did a full body shake as if working out the kinks from the fight.

"Good job, sweetheart. Are you hurt?" he asked the coyote as he stepped toward the Argent on the ground. The coyote yipped and then moved toward Allison. The smaller were-coyote sniffed the air when she was closer to the brunette, apparently whatever she smelled had her in a talkative move as she proceeded to make several noises at Peter. The older Beta flashed his eyes as he helped the older Argent to sit up before saying, You have to use your words Malia."

The coyote started to change and there was a pained sound as she did change back to a girl. Meanwhile Peter said, "How many times did I tell you not to walk through these woods after dark. Especially not this close to the full moon. Really Chris, after all of these years you should remember the most basic lessons."

As if released from a spell, Allison lunged forward and said, "We weren't hunting," as she ghosted her hands over her fathers face and torso. "We were talking. I was telling Dad I wasn't going to hunt things, at least not were's just because they're were's. If they were rogues, or bad, yeah. Grandpa wants me to be a Hunter and start training to be one…but then these guys came along and dad wanted me to run but I tried to help, only I didn't bring any weapons…" she was gasping and a few tears escaped her eyes.

Malia mimicked the other girls movements but she said, "Not bloody, warm spots, not bad. No claws or bites, br-bruises," then she pressed Chris's left side and said, "Here is bad."

"Not your fault Allison, or your fathers." the werewolf said soothingly as his eyes and face shifted back to the rumpled but still attractive face of Dr. Hale. "Good assessment, Malia. Very good in fact." Peter said as he did the usual distracting banter as he assessed Chris' injuries.

"Wonder if its too soon to put away some money for medical school? Wouldn't hurt I suppose a college fund for both, yes I think that might be alright." Then his head tilted and he frowned before saying in the same tone. "Allison, I'm going to assume that you didn't walk here from your home, where is your car parked?"

"About a half mile that way, dad said there were no roads where we were going." the brunette said. Pointing behind them unerringly to where the school was situated.

"Probably not, but there are roads closer to here, Malia can you go with her and show her the way," then he removed his leather jacket and over shirt and gave them to his daughter. The teen looked at the garments distastefully and then started trying to figure out what to do with the garments.

Allison helped her tie the shirt around her waist and buttoned the bottom of the shirt until she couldn't anymore. Then put the leather jacket up on up top and buttoned it up as far as it would go. "My dad is he.." the brunette couldn't complete the question.

"He'll be fine but he does need to go to the hospital," Peter said encouragingly but with a tone that indicated they should hurry.

Malia grabbed the older girl by the wrist and said, "Come." Before the pair ran off back down the path that the Argents had used to get this far into the woods.

"Peter," came a pained gasping breath, "Did you just lie to my daughter?' The werewolf gazed down into the silver eyes of the hunter. Saw the grimace of pain on his face and smiled in such a way that a forlorn smile came to the hunters face as he was answered.

"I would not lie to our children Christopher," Peter replied in a very direct way.

Again the older Argent gave a grimace before saying, "Our children? My daughter, your daughter…" he said before flinching and then giving a groan at the pain the movement caused.

"Be still you have a few fractured ribs. One of which is pressing into your lung at the moment and we are going to do out best not to tear into that lung. let's sit you up carefully." said the professional side of Dr. Hale. As they carefully maneuvered him into an upright position.

Meanwhile Peter the werewolf asked, "And the reason Allison oddly enough smells just a bit like me? Or better yet the reason my daughter smells like the both of us when I didn't even know she existed before a few weeks ago?" The fact that Chris Argent's head snapped around so fast it cracked would have been comical if not for the protracted groan of pain that escaped his lips from the quick movement.

"That's not…What you're talking about, can't happen, it's not possible," he said as Peter moved around to his right side and draped his arm over his wife beater clad shoulders. Grabbing his left hip with his hand Peter actually pulled him to a standing position, while doing his best to keep pressure off the injured ribs.

"Among werewolves, it's rare, but not impossible. We were exclusive when we were together Chris. I know that. You know that we switched it up. A werewolf getting a human male pregnant is rarer still but when it happens the cub...child is human but may have a little extra agility, strength or senses. I would say Allison has those talents, wouldn't you?"

Argent had the excuse of gasping for breath as Peter said in his Dr. Hale voice. "Think you can walk?" When a careful nod of the head was his only answer Peter had the good manners not to call him on it. Instead the pair headed off in a different direction of their daughters.

"Wolves getting pregnant from humans is actually less rare but the child can be either a talented human, werewolf, or in some cases a different type of were-animal, like Malia. The thing is I know she's ours just as well as I know for a fact that Allison is also ours, just as I know that all of this is news to you. Keep moving as long as you can Chris the closer we get to the road the better for you."

Chris huffed in irritation he knew that, he was walking wasn't he. Peter had really always been annoying but they did have quite a few philosophical discussions when they were both younger. What pairs were perfect combinations, the mystical properties of Wint-O-Green Lifesavers and which color of M and M's was the best. Sorry it was still brown.

Then they had gotten to their teenage years and things had gotten even better between them. They had discovered the wonders of each other. Then there had been the accident. Chris had been feeling ill for a while. He and his father had been at odds for a long time and that was putting it mildly. Chris had been on his way back from a game, driving himself when apparently he had passed out, crossed the center line and crashed. He had been in a coma for several months. He never had remembered the accident or even much of what had happened before. He had awoken with scars on his back and abdomen that he had no way of knowing what they were from.

When he had finally recovered from the coma and gotten his strength back he had returned to had tutored him to get him back up to speed in his classes and soon the two of them were back to spending nearly every day together and he and his father were back to being at each others throats.

Then things had just stopped. Peter had disappeared from his life, from school and even from Beacon Hills as far as Chris could discover. This had happened the summer before he had gone to college. He never had found out what happened to the other boy. Wait when had he landed on the ground. He looked up to discover the two surviving wolves and Peter were engaged in another fight. Peter was doing his best to keep them away from where he lay.

Thus time Chris knew he was a liability, he had a feeling the fall, throw, whatever had happened had sent that broken rib had gone into his lung. There was a sharp burning pain and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. As he saw red and black splotches begin to blur his vision, he heard one of the werewolves howl. He couldn't see well enough to know if that was Peter or one of the other werewolves. Then everything went black.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Peter felt the claws of the ringleader hit home. The gurge in his mouth let him know the other man had hit something important, with a manuever he had learned from Chris, Peter caught the clawed hand under his arm and with a yank, and a strike, the other werewolf was disarmed literally. Though the doctor in him knew better, Peter pulled the claws out and threw the arm to the ground. Drawing a deep breath he roared through the pain and then went after the other wolf who was too close to Chris and once again, threw that one into a nearby tree, again.

This time he was back up instantly and lunging for the two of them when an arrow whistled into his chest. He grunted in pain looking for the source of the arrow. Only to have another land in his upper abdomen followed quickly by another in his thigh. Finally Allison came into view on a rise and came to a halt before drawing down on the werewolf, who ran, or at least shuffled as fast as he could, in the other direction. Malia ran past the huntress at the disarmed Beta, eyes glowing blue and fangs and claws extended. The other picked up his arm and was working to reattach it before his healing kicked in as he ran away.

Malia stopped and caught her father easing him to the ground. Allison called out "Dad," as she fell to her knees beside the unconscious Argent.

"We have to get out of here before they come back with reenforcements," Peter ordered with a growl of pain as the were-coyote helped him up perhaps a little faster than his current state could handle. Then they heard a howl from close by, too close. "Too late," Peter said, and then added, "Girls, if I tell you too, you have to run back to the car and back to town."

"We are not leaving you here, they'll kill you both," Allison said sharply. Her eyes sparkling with tears. She shook her head vehemently, grabbing her bow from the dried leaves, she stood and faced the direction the howl had come from.

Malia let her father stand on her own and then reached up to touch his face, and worked to shift only partially as she said clearly, "Not leaving, never leave you behind, daddy."

"Allison, what would your father want you to do?" Peter asked desperately.

"What you just said, and I'd tell him what she just told you. Now shut up and save your strength for healing and fighting," Allison said with a core of steel running through her voice.

Peter huffed a laugh as they heard someone crashing through the bushes in their direction. "I do love you girls," he said as a pair of betas came over the rise.

One of Allisons arrows was caught out of midair by the female Beta before it struck the male standing beside her. "Hey watch it, you could have put my eye out with that thing," said the rougher but still recognizable tones of Jackson Whittmore.

With a deep inhale Cora was beside her uncle instantly, "What happened? Your bleeding, who attacked you?"

"I believe you like to call them the Idiot Three. They attacked Allison and Chris first though. Cora moved quickly to the man on the ground, and let her senses assess gently as he fingers traced over the older man. She heard the telltale wheeze and gurgle and reported, "His lungs been punctured. Beacon Hills is to far. We'll have to get him to Deaton, you too Uncle." Stripping off her t-shirt, she called, "Malia use that to try and stop your Dad's bleeding. Jackson you'rw fastest, take Argent to the vet, straight through the woods. Don't move him around too much. Give me your keys."

"I've seen you drive, Cora. You're not driving my car." the teen said as he knelt to set the hunter upright.

"No, I'm not, she is," she said as she tossed Jackson's keys to Allison. "Go!" she commanded the other Beta. Jackson lifted the older man bridal style and ran off into the woods.

"You know where the vet is?" Cora asked quickly as she was demonstrating how to make a basket to Malia.

"Yeah, but…" Allison replied as she looked at the keys in a shocky voice.

"Jackson's car is back down the road in that direction about a mile," Cora said indicating with her head.

"Yeah but we have a car," Allison said.

"Not as fast as Jackson's. Do you have a cell?" The younger werewolf said as she shifted back to wolf form.

"Of course," Allison said sharply.

"Call Stiles tell him to meet us there. Before you ask why, because he and Mary might be the only ones who can save your dad right now and I don't know her number." Cora and Malia then had Peter sit in the basket they had made when she saw the female Argent still standing in the same place she yelled in frustration, "Allison move it."

Then she ran into the woods in the same direction as Jackson. Allison took off in the direction the Beta had indicated, determined to make her fastest time yet. Her bow string taut across her chest as she ran and her hand on her pocket to assure herself the keys and her cell stayed in the pocket. Praying helplessly to whatever deity was listening to keep her dad and Peter Hale alive until she could get hold of her classmate. An inner monologue that included her amazement that her new friend may be the only hope of saving the two men.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N~ In order to get rid of my writer's block I tried something radical which has worked before. I started a new fic, it usually works best if you do it with the same characters but with a different storyline. It worked I will be starting the new fic next Tuesday and hear is this chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think. Sorry no sexy good times for our pair or the new pair. Not yet anyway. Stay tuned. Oh sorry, new fic is called "To Be or Nogitsune." ~A**

**Chapter 22**

About six minutes later Allison made it to the familiar shape of Jackson's Porsche. Pulling the keys and phone out of her pocket at one time, she pressed the button on the fob to unlock the doors while powering up her cell phone. She slid into the front seat of the car and for just a second stared at the dashboard of the car a little overwhelmed.

Before she remembered what she was supposed to be doing and flipped through her contacts. Finding the recently added Stiles information and calling with one hand while she started the car only took a few seconds. Navigating the dashboard and stick shift took a bit longer.

She checked the time to discover it was already after midnight, as the call rang through. She put it on speaker and set it on the passenger seat beside her. She was definitely not expecting to hear Derek Hale's voice, pick up on the other side, with a sleepy growl of, "Hello?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek heard the vibration before Stiles more human ears could detect it. One of those ears he was currently nuzzling, it took him a few more seconds to realize that the buzzing was Stiles phone. He had shut off the ringer but apparently neglected to take it off vibrate. Turning away from the ear, Derek quickly fumbled for the phone before it woke the young Spark from what was probably the best sleep he'd had in days.

"Hello?" he said gruffly as his eyes caught sight of the younger man's alarm clock, which read 12:55 a.m. When there was no answer after a few seconds he was getting ready to hang up when a somewhat tremulous female voice finally responded.

"Stiles? Is Stiles there?"

"Who is this?" Derek asked. Now a little more hostile. What woman was calling Stiles at this time of the morning?

"It's Allison. Please, is Stiles there?" the girl asked again.

"What do you need Allison?" Derek asked. He flinched slightly when he felt Stiles moving beside him. Knowing the Spark would understandably be angry at his new boyfriend?, for invading his privacy this way.

He could hear branches hitting a windshield in the background as the young woman replied hesitantly, "Please Derek? My Dad, Cora and Dr. Hale said his lung was punctured. Dr. Hale got attacked too protecting my dad. He said…he said my dad might die if…Stiles has to help him."

As if he could hear the distraught girl on the other end of the phone. Stiles suddenly sat straight up in the bed and held his hand out for the phone. Derek handed it to him reluctantly, before he spoke to the girl on the phone Stiles said, "Get my clothes please?"

Derek leapt to his feet and went to Stiles drawers and closet. As he pulled together an outfit he had seen Stile wear before. He helped the teen out of his sleep clothes tossing them on the bed. Stiles was talking on the phone to Allison and then to Deaton.

Then Stiles gave an angry yell into the before describing a spell, hanging up and shoving the device into his pocket. He pulls on his red hoodie and turns and startles when he notices Derek still there fully dressed and holding his leather jacket in one hand and another bottle of water in the other.

"Derek," the younger boy says tiredly.

The green-eyed man studies him intensely and says, "Mates help and take care of each other, just like regular humans." He says before handing the water to the other boy.

"Yeah, we're regular," Stiles said sarcastically as he took a drink from the bottle.

"Heck no," Derek said with an affectionate smile, ""What we are is a couple of people who care about each other and the rest of our extended family. He said before stepping forward and handed the teenager his jacket, "You're still dehydrated and chilled finish the water and put on the jacket. Get whatever you need and meet me downstairs, I'll drive."

"For once Stiles did as he was told holding the water bottle in is teeth, he settled the jacket over his shoulders. Appreciating the warmth over a body he hadn't realized was still chilled. Stiles gathered a couple of archaic books and put them into an already crowded book bag. He was pulling on the zipper as he headed to the door when he realized he still hadn't put his trainers on.

Cursing at himself vehemently, the teen was trying to figure out if it wouldn't be faster just to teleport himself to the vet's when there was another tap at the window. Stiles would vehemently deny that he gave a very girly scream and claim to have merely given a slight jump to the intrusion. Only he and Derek ever would know the truth. Going to the window he lifted the thing and said, "I'm going as fast as I can here."

Derek pulled the boy and bag through the window and after closing the window securely said, "I'm faster." and leapt off the roof. Complete with another girly scream from Stiles, who wasn't even going to deny it this time.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The vet seemed mystified as to why he was talking to his assistant's best friend, let alone the fact that the frenetic teen he had met on a few occasions was in the know about hunters werewolves and who knew what else. When the boy started arguing with him over spell the boy wanted him to do to the hunter, a spell he had never even heard of mind you, the boy had huffed and then yelled over the phone. "Peter tell him to do what I say. The spell will keep Argent alive and in stasis till I get there."

The werewolf had no idea what the spell was but stasis and keeping Chris alive he understood very well. He gave the emissary the order and flashed his eyes at Cora and Malia. Message received. Both girls listened to Stiles explanation and description and both watched the emissary do the spell on the hunter closely to make sure their Pack mate's instructions were followed precisely.

Several minutes later, Jackson met them at the door and took his classmates elbow and the bag in the other hand to hustle them into the exam room where they had set the elder Argent up in. Neither young man registered or at least neither acknowledged the whisper soft growl the Alpha made at someone else touching Stiles.

Peter Hale was nearly healed from the wounds he had received in the forest, and though he'd deny it if asked he was hovering protectively around the two girls who smelled of he and Chris Argent as they waited for Stiles to arrive. The vet had been thoughtful enough to find some scrubs for Malia but the younger girl hadn't given the jacket back to her father only his over shirt which he's put on in place of his ripped and bloodied wife-beater.

Stiles walked in and said in a direct voice, "Did he administer the potion?" Everyone in the room stared at him strangely, Stiles while incredibly intelligent was more prone to use humor to get what he wanted not be direct and commanding. Even the Hale emissary recognized the difference in the boy but he didn't appreciate being bossed around in his own clinic.

It rankled the usually unflappable man, "Yes, I did administer it. Although according to my research the concoction should have no effect on the man. So why bother?"

A dark look settled on the teen's face and Derek and everyone else in the room felt the crackle of anger in the room as the teen looked at Deaton and said heatedly, "The concoction was to stabilize him until I could get hear to treat him. It accomplished that. His teenage daughter is standing right there and I think she would appreciate it if we do _bother _trying to save her father. Don't you?"

"Derek pull that table over here if you don't mind?" Allison can you get your father's clothes off, just his jacket and shirts please." The teen then pulled several items out of his over stuffed backpack. One of the heavy tomes, a cloth wrapped bundle and a heavy brass circle.

"Cora," he said "As he set the tome down on the table that Derek had maneuvered to the bedside. Then he turned to face the smaller werewolf. "I need you to put these at the compass points about three feet out using the exam table as the center of a circle."

She unwrapped the bundle enough to see the heavy columnar candles and recognized the brass circle as an old fashioned brass compass. The girl looked up in confusion and worry and began, "I don't…"

When Jackson rescued her by taking the compass from her and saying, "I do, you just put those where I tell you to, okay?" The girl nodded gratefully and they began to set them up.

Stiles was rummaging in the backpack again and came back out with a pouch and another cloth wrapped bundle. He looked up to find Peter and Malia both working partially wolfed out with their claws to cut away the thick fabric of the jacket. While Allison was using a sharp looking little knife to cut away the thinner fabric of her fathers two shirts.

He could feel the heat from his mate's body as the older man came u behind me and whispered to him. "Our pack is helping a fallen member, just as it should be. You did this Stiles."

"We did this," Stiles said thickly over his suddenly tight throat.

"Are you strong enough to heal him right now though?" The Alpha asked and there was no mistaking the concern in his voice as he asked the question.

"This is our Pack, Derek, all of them. I may not like the man or trust him but he is Allison's father. I know what it is like to lose a parent and I'll be damned if I let Allison go through that."

"Besides, you're my mate. If I fall out afterwards, you'll catch me right?" asked the young man with a cheeky grin over his shoulder.

Derek traced a knuckle over the younger man's ear before saying with a smirk, "Absolutely."

Stiles saw Allison starting to remove a silver medallion from around the hunters neck and said, "Leave it. Silver is compatible for most spells. Besides he either considers it a symbol of protection, family, or luck. In this case any combination of those is good for us. Right?"

Allison smiled hopefully at the Spark and nodded her head in agreement. Stiles unwrapped the large calcite crystal and put it at the head of the table just above where Chris' head lay. Then he took a disk of dark blue stone and placed it on the injured mans chest right next to the obviously damaged area.

"Anybody got a light," Jackson asked as he and Cora placed the last of the candles into position. Stiles looked up to find the duo standing beside the vet. The older man had his arms crossed across his chest and if Stile didn't' know any better he would say that the man was pouting from the expression on his caramel colored skin.

"I got it," Stiles said patiently before something had him adding, "Step closer guys." When they had Stiles reached back into the backpack and pulled out a plastic vial and saying a word through the substance in the air. It settled in a circle with the edges incorporating the candles, which suddenly sprang to life around the group.

Deaton was suddenly standing at the edge of the barrier fingers outstretched and tracing his fingertips along the edges in what Stiles would like to say was wonder but for some reason the word avarice came to mind instead. He decided to ignore Deaton for the moment and get back to healing the hunter on the table.

Stepping next to where Allison stood on the left side of the injured man. "Allison take your fathers hand. It's going to be a bit crowded but you guys move in when I take my hands off you put your hands on him and draw as much pain as you can while mentally pushing as much positive energy in."

"Positive energy. Really Stiles, what is this a homeopathic spa," Peter said in a mocking tone.

"No Peter," Stiles said in a harsh tone. "It's a Pack, a family, if you have any feelings at all for that, him, or Allison then push it into him as you pull the pain. Don't touch him until I let go otherwise you may get the healing energy. Allison you're his daughter, you will always have love for him. So mentally push those positive loving feelings and the energy I'm putting in should stay where it needs to be." The younger man's hands hovered for a moment over the injured mans rib cage before settling lightly on bare skin.

The teen visibly flinched in pain and Derek reached for him, only to have Stiles flinch away while keeping his hands on the man on the table, "No!" He said sharply and through clenched teeth continued, "Derek you put your hands on his shoulders, Peter, you and Malia his other arm, Jax and Cora you each take a leg. If I fall don't let me cross the salt." All of them looked up at him sharply at the last statement. Derek opened his mouth as if to say something, before he could though Stiles began the spell.

The calcite crystal at the head of the exam table began to glow. Stiles hands didn't stay on the older mans torso instead they began to weave above the injured man. He looked as if he were plucking broken ribs back into place, then pinching together the open edges of the lung, and then a finger traced across the skin and a dark red glow emanated from his finger. Then he raised his joined hands slightly above Argent's chest and with a force those surrounding the table could actually feel slammed them toward the older man's chest.

Chris even unconscious turned his head to the side and coughed up a large amount of bloody liquid which splattered out onto the floor. The dark blue stone on his chest, shattered and turned to a fine powder Followed closely by a sharp grunt from the Spark as his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Stiles!" Derek yelled with a panicked look on his face. Keeping one hand on the hunter on the table he reached out with the other and wrapped his arm around the teens waist dragging him to his side.

Allison yelled, "Now!" unnecessarily. Derek pulled the pain out of the older man, while keeping Stiles as upright as possible. When a few seconds had gone by Derek shook the younger lightly and called his name, "Stiles. Stiles. Wake up."

The teen startled after a few more seconds and opened his eyes to stare up into Derek's concerned gaze. A flash of statement and then embarrassment flitted over his face before he said hoarsely, "Oh gawd, I fainted didn't I?"

There was an audible sigh of relief from everyone around the table, including Deaton. Who when he had seen the teen collapse had lunged forward his fingertips stopped just short of the barrier as he had tried to prevent the young man from doing himself harm.

"You can think Mr. Hale for preventing you from crossing the barrier, Mr. Stilinski." the vet said reassuringly, "Before adding now perhaps you could lower the barrier or break the circle, so I can check our patient?"

"You can break it doc, it's just a ring of purity. Keeps him from getting any kind of infection or other bugs. Damaged lungs even after they're healed can be prone to respiratory issues." Stiles said helpfully as his fingers clung to the fierce looking Alpha.

"And where did you learn that?" Deaton asked curiously as he checked Chris' pulse. He felt the man's pulse strong and steady under his fingertips. "I must confess to being impressed and surprised Mr. Stilinski. I had no idea you were so skilled, or even aware of the supernatural. In truth you seemed rather…" It was obvious the vet was trying to come up with a polite descriptor for Stiles.

"Spastic?" Stiles provided helpfully, as he leaned his face against Derek's shoulder for a minute before saying quietly, "Kinda need to sit down guys."

Jackson shared a speaking glance with Cora at her nod he released the hunters ankle to head over and pick up a heavy metal rolling stool and sat it right beside the Alpha. "Here you go Stilinski sit before you fall." the blond teen said helpfully before heading out of the exam room for a moment.

When he returned a couple of minutes later he was carrying a couple of small bottles, "Juice first then Gatorade," he said as he handed Stiles a small bottle of orange juice, setting the Gatorade on the exam table near to hand.

The exhausted teen smiled gratefully at the other as he downed the juice all in one go before saying, "Thanks Jax."

The blond werewolf's face twisted into an odd expression but he nodded reassuringly as he retook his position beside Cora. Stiles sighed gratefully after drinking about half the bottle of Gatorade. No one missed the Alpha's hand on the younger man's shoulder, nor the black lines that ran up his arm from the teen.

"Stop it, Alpha," Stiles commanded in a low voice. "It's just a tired headache. Nothing serious."

Instead of answering the older man ran his fingers through the short hair on the teen's scalp. A slight groan of pleasure escaped Stiles lips. That had everyone looking in his direction, "Ok, so this time I really mean it," he said sternly as he sat up and finished off the Gatorade. He placed the empty bottles on the floor near is fett and scooted the chair closer to the table before looking around at those surrounding the table.

"Ok I'm going to check out Mr. Argent, try and revive him I want you all to let go and step back. Sorry Allison, that means you too. No one needs to be touching him it might be dangerous." Everyone stepped back except Derek, Stiles looked up at the werewolf and flashed his ember eyes at the older man as he said, "Let go Derek I wasn't kidding about the danger part of this."

The werewolf got a stubborn look on his face which looked to the others like his usual grumpy face, the teen stood from the chair and something about his face changed. Derek obviously saw it and Peter, Malia and Allison saw it but weren't really sure what they were seeing. Deaton, Jackson and Cora weren't sure what was going on but suddenly Derek and Stiles were actually having a growling fight. Everyone was startled when apparently Stiles won, because Derek did actually back away.

Stiles sighed his eyebrows pinched as he gently laid his fingertips on the sides of the unconscious mans head. "Come on Chris. Time to wake up." the teen muttered softly, as he closed his eyes.

The man on the exam table suddenly convulsed and Stiles opened his eyes and ordered quickly turn him on his good side. As a group the Pack and Deaton turned Argent on his right side. The man coughed again with a small amount of rusty red flecks sputtering out on choked breaths.

"Stiles," that was Peter's voice and Stiles barely registered the almost desperate quality there.

"He's fine," the teen reassured, "his lungs are just trying to finish clearing themselves. Give him a minute, Papa Wolf." The double take was so worth it, Stiles thought.

As the hacking finally stopped and silver eyes looked around, Allison's broken "Dad." also very worth it. It was Malia who oddly pulled everyone back so father and daughter could have a moment alone. Stiles had removed his hands a few seconds before the brunette crashed into her father.

The Spark warned with gentle amusement, "Hey Alli girl don't undo my good work, yeah?" He doubted the girl actually heard him because Derek caught his shoulder as he leaned back slightly to also give them at least the illuson of privacy in the small exam room.

Using the supportive arm to literally climb to a standing position. Stiles found the strength to lean against the older man's chest. "You are the Alpha, if I'm your mate…" the boy whispered in what he hoped was a lower tone the others in the room couldn't hear.

"If?" Derek growled under his breath in an incredulous tone.

Stiles continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "You can't risk yourself just to protect me. You have to learn that I can take care of myself, and our Pack. Our Pack needs their Alpha, not some spaz with moderate magical skills." Stiles said as he nuzzled his face into Derek's chest. "Not that I don't love the fact you care enough to be this over protective teddy bear. It has its benefits."

The werewolf looked down at the boy he adored and then up at the other inhabitants of the room. The only ones who seemed focused on them were Cora and Deaton. Surprisingly enough his Uncle seemed more interested in the Argent pair and to a lesser extent so did Malia. Jackson just seemed a little bored with everything.

"A spaz? In case you don't remember, you're as much responsible for bringing this Pack together as I am, maybe more so. Although I do think my mother is going to be more than a little upset that we seem to have usurped Cora and Peter. Not to mention having taken the Argents or at least a couple of them as part of our Pack."

"You think she's going to be pissed about the Argents being part of our Pack? How do you thinking the other Argents are going to feel?" Stiles responded with genuine concern in his voice, "Wouldn't really want to be part of that family meeting. Plus there's still the making of the new pups." Stiles wasn't able to stifle the yawn that caused his jaw to crack painfully. "Time to take me home, Alpha."

"Cora?" The teen called, "School tomorrow, either go home or to the loft, Malia you too, Cora would you drop her off at the loft? We need to see about getting you set up with some tutors to catch you up before you go to school. Jackson can you take Allison back to pick up her car, I think her dad would be a lot more comfortable in that than trying to squeeze into your car."

"Dr. Deaton, my healing went a long way but I would still recommend wrapping Mr. Argent's ribs for support before we send him home. Having anything in this clinic that can work for a human in that respect." The vet's brow wrinkled as he headed out of the exam room and down the hall.

"Uncle, I'll be taking Stiles home. Will you need a ride as well?" Derek asked as he lifted the dead-on-his-feet teen into his arms.

"No nephew," the older man, said without lifting his head, "I'll be healed in another day or so. Malia and I will probably crash at your place for the foreseeable future though."

"That's fine Uncle, rest well. I'll be home later."

With that the new Alpha had disappeared out the door and away from the clinic. Leaving Peter alone in the exam room with Chris Argent. He had seen the all to fragile humans eyes close after a few minutes and figured the man had fallen once again into some much needed healing sleep.

Carefully he took the hunters hand laced their fingers together, he then knelt beside the exam tale and kissed the laced fingers and said, "I'll do anything to protect you." He leaned forward and kissed the other man's forehead. He heard Deaton coming and stood up releasing Chris' hand reluctantly.

Stepping away from the exam table, Peter stumbled tiredly just as the Hale emissary re-entered the exam room. The vet stepped forward quickly and caught the other man's elbow supportively.

He tried to guide the werewolf to a seat but Peter refused. With a polite "Good evening, Doctor" the wolf exited the clinic and heading to his nephews loft, to get some much needed healing sleep.

He didn't see Chris Argent's eyes follow him as he left the room. A bittersweet expression on his face.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N~ Sorry for the slight delay n posting. I had unexpected company yesterday, who I had to entertain and that put me behind. Please post reviews and let me know what you think. Hope you are still enjoying the story. This chapter didn't come out as well as I would have hoped but it got the point across. Read, enjoy and review.~A **

**Chapter 23**

**Several weeks later: Gerard and Victoria have started working at the school **Scott is having dinner with a somewhat reluctant Allison and her too enthusiastic family. Well, her mother and creepy grandfather anyway, Chris was called away for business suddenly.

The family are just sitting down to the dinner table, the starter is a beautiful salad, prepared by Victoria herself, not from a bag. As evidenced by carrot curls, chunks of yellow squash, and purple flowers and little rose tomatoes. "I expect everyone to eat all of their vegetables or no steak," the redhead says with a smile before sitting down to the table after serving the other three.

Scott offers, "Not a problem for me ma'am. My mom is always feeding us fresh vegetables, and this looks fantastic." He says admiringly, "Almost too pretty to eat."

The older woman looks startled but blushes and responds, "Why thank you Scott. Let's dig in, shall we?"

"Rabbit food," the elder Argent grumbles good-naturedly, before settling down to take a few bites of his salad.

Scott stopped after a couple of bites and asks cautiously, not wanting to offend his hostess, "Ms. Argent did you put, is this squash in the salad?" he says wonderingly.

"Why yes, yes it is. Do you like it?" she asks a little nervously.

"Oh yeah, I mean like I said Mom being a nurse and all she's really into the vegetables. I just never would have thought to put it in a salad before," he said honestly.

Then they heard the door open and close and Chris Argent joined them in the dining room. "Honey, I'm home," he called as he came around the corner. He hesitated when he saw Scott, who looked like a deer in the headlights when he saw Allison's father.

Victoria and Gerard Argent's reaction to Chris' unexpected arrival were a little more over the top. Victoria stood and tried to direct her husband back towards the kitchen, but the man's eyes had caught on the salads and his expression had turned, not angry so much as cold and hostile.

"Allison, would you mind taking Scott up to your room, we have some business to discuss," her father asks. Allison recognizes that wile her fathers tone is warm and friendly, the cold expression is still on his face. She gets up and Scott quickly follows her out of the dining room and up the stairs.

When they hear the bedroom door close upstairs, Chris lashes out. Dual 9 mils are out and pointing at his wife and father before his father can rise from the table. "Why?" he demands but there is no denying the pain in his sharp tone. "Why are you trying to kill that boy and our daughter?"

"That boy," Gerard says derisively, at the word, "is a werewolf. An animal that girl brought into this house."

"And if he's just a regular human boy the aconite will still kill him and our daughter.." Chris repeated hostilely to his father and to the woman he had been married to for the better part of two decades.

"She's not my daughter," the woman shouted nearly at the top of her lungs. She gasped a little, "She's your daughter. I'm stunned and a little offended you never figured it out."

"What? You said…you had a one night stand…I-I don't…" the redhead snorted and a twisted expression came to her face but it was Gerard who answered.

"I knew what was going on between you and that werewolf. I tried to put an end to it. I tried but I missed and put you into a coma instead. Moved you from the Beacon Hills Hospital to a private facility. Even they had questions when you turned up pregnant."

Gerard gave an evil smirk and said, "I wanted to take you off life support and just let you die, your mother convinced me not to. The woman always was too soft hearted where you were concerned. She demanded we let the cur live, so she gave it to Victoria and told her to raise it."

"Of course she didn't tell her where it had come from. I did that when I came back and we decided to finish off what your sister started. But first I had something I needed to take care of, so I came back here to try and discover a way to finish off the Hale Pack and now I think I have the perfect way," the man trailed off absently.

"Still if the boy is human?" he remembered belatedly, "He'll die." he repeated staring in horror between the two.

Victoria said without a hint of remorse, "Collateral damage, just like the rest."

"I gave birth to Allison….that means Peter really is, and I…" he said in an awed tone.

"You won't speak his name in this house," Victoria demanded in a nearly hysterical scream as she drew a carving knife from under her apron. Chris' hand had dropped as they had explained their attempts to kill him, his daughter and the McCall boy.

A scream came from Victoria this time pained instead of enraged as an arrow protruded from her shoulder, right below her clavicle. Allison now wearing a dark jacket over her pretty dress and carrying her bow which she had already reloaded. Said arrow was aimed at the woman she had called her mother since she could talk.

Behind her came the boy with his lacrosse stick held like a baseball bat. Chris could already see the signs of aconite poisoning the pallor and sweaty skin on both of them, but the pair stood steady, shoulder to shoulder.

A loud crash drew their attention and a Gerard shaped hole showed where his father had jumped through the window. Allison and Scott made to go after him but Chris said, "No, Scott call Deaton we need to get the cure in you before it really hits you two."

"Stiles is closer," Allison said. Looking over at Scott with an intense gaze as though daring him to argue with her. The boy looked to be having an internal conflict before he lowered his lacrosse stick and pulled out his cell phone. He sighed after a minute and pressed a number in his contact list.

He walked away to have the conversation, and Christ told Allison, "There are some zip ties in the basement, sweetheart. Would you mind getting a pair for your…for her?" He concluded as he saw the flash in his daughters eyes. The teen merely nodded as she headed toward the kitchen.

Chris caught sight of an expression on his wife's face, it was quickly gone. But for a split second he could have sworn he saw fear in her eyes. Then he heard his daughter come running back up and he noticed she had the zip tie in one hand but had left her bow somewhere. He also noticed that she was paler than she had been when she had headed downstairs.

He did not expect what happened next, Allison went to stand in front of where Victoria was kneeling in pain and punched her mother in the jaw. She then put the zip tie on her mother and pulled it tight before taking the gun from her father and said, "Dad you need to go look downstairs."

Chris walked down the steep stairs to the basement cautiously the disgust in Allison's expression had already told him he wasn't going to like what he found. The smell of a decomposing body made it a certainty.

He vaguely recognized the man stuffed in the corner, then he remembered where he knew him from. PTA, this man was the principal of the high school. The one who Gerard had replaced after he had mysteriously disappeared. He had a sick feeling that the teacher who Victoria was supposedly substituting for would also be found dead somewhere or perhaps worse never seen again.

The hunter slowly stalked back up the stairs and into the living room. Standing there were Stiles, Derek and Peter Hale. Allison was staring at the older Hale with curiosity and a hint of suspicion. Peter was attending to Victoria despite the rather repulsed expression she had on her face. Someone, Chris wasn't sure who, had placed some duct tape over the woman's mouth.

**xox~POV change~xox**

Stiles was standing at the kitchen table with several vials on the table in front of him as he examined one of the purple flowers. Yeah definitely aconite and then a thought occurred to him. He ran his finger over the vinegar and oil dressing that was still on the plate and smelled it before a look of abject distaste had him drop the plate back on the table.

Picking up the bottle of homemade dressing he said, "Derek take this out back and very carefully smell it. Tell me she didn't do what I think she did." The werewolf didn't bother to go to the back door, instead carefully un-stoppering the bottle, he waved the glass stopper like a perfumier or a wine connosieur and took the lightest of sniffs, careful not to draw the fumes into his lungs. He still nearly gagged before he managed to slam the stopper back into place.

Even Peter standing several feet away began to cough into his sleeve. Grabbing the salad dressing from the werewolf Stiles trotted into the kitchen with the bottle. Glancing around and trying not to panic he opened the fridge and putting the bottle on a shelf, slammed the door shut before rushing back into the dining room. He didn't curse much, but there was cursing.

"Werewolves outside now," when both hesitated he said in a louder, firmer voice, "Now!"

Derek moved past the younger man, but Peter didn't move until he finished with his makeshift dressing. They all watched as the werewolf's eyes began to swell and he held his breath until he was done and then turned removed his gloves and tosses them into the garbage can before walking outside after his nephew.

The teen at the table was shaking his head with a muttered, "Stubborn ass."

The teen was moving fast but precisely, Chris vaguely remembered something from when he had been attacked in the woods. Stiles standing over him, he had recognized the boy of course from their previous meeting with the sheriff. He'd also kind of stood out during PTA meetings and sporting events. He watched as he mixed several compounds including charcoal. He remembered someone telling him the boy had ADHD, and while his hand had a fine tremor he was very careful with the measurements.

"Allison, Scott?" he called, the pair appeared from where they had been sitting on the stairs. "It's gonna taste gawd awful," the teen warned as he gave them both vials he had brought with him. "Don't drink or eat anything from in here because I don't know what she might have cross contaminated making the salad and dressing. Not even from the tap, the glasses might be contaminated too." Then the boy stopped talking for a minute and just froze, then there was a loud pop and a flash of light right next to Chris.

An elderly woman that Chris was sure he had never seen before stood next to him with a rather large shoulder bag. She walked past him as he stared at her in shock. Of course this was one more shock on top of too many, Chris Argent sat down…on the floor, staring around to where his daughter stood.

"Here we are cubs," the woman said pulling large bottles of water out of her bag and handed one to each of the teens. As soon as she had the bottle of water in hand Allison downed the concoction that Stiles had made and made a grimace of distaste. She handed the vial back to Stiles and then swished and swallowed before downing several deep swallows of the water.

She then walked over to where Chris sat on the floor and kneeling down, kissed him on the forehead and said, "Love you daddy." She then stood back up and went over to where Victoria was tied to the chair.

She tried to lift her mothers face with a finger to the chin, when Victoria resisted Allison grabbed the woman's jaw in a painfully strong grip and turned it so Victoria was facing her. Allison gave her mother a chilling smile as she said, "I imagine it goes without saying that you are as dead to me as you were trying to make me. Now here's a little warning for you _Victoria._ Stay in jail!"

"Don't try to escape and if they want to release you, confess to another crime. I've been trained very well by the best hunters in the world. He may have hated what I was and who knows it may have been the symmetry of it that he admired. But Gerard Argent made sure that I was one of the best hunters and planners the Argents have ever trained. So imagine all of that focus, training, and deadly purpose centered on hunting you down, and just don't."

"Please don't misunderstand this to be any kind of familial connection. The whole me not wanting to kill you," she said and very deliberately reached out and putting her hand on Victoria's wounded shoulder gave a very deliberate squeeze and said, "I think _this _proves how very easily I could."

"I just want to make sure you stay where you belong, in jail. Because if you don't, I will hunt you down, and I won't bring you back alive. I won't even try to and you won't escape me. Because after all you're a planner, not a hunter, _Mother. _Oh and don't worry Gerard will be joining you soon, well as long as he comes along quietly, so maybe not." With that she gave her mother an affectionate pat on the head and said, "Bye, bye," before turning and heading out the front door.

Scott came up to Chris and patted him on the shoulder before saying, "That badass is your daughter, and my girlfriend," he said with puppy-like devotion, before trotting out the door after the teenager.

Chris shook his head before slowly getting to his feet. Stiles glanced at the other man and shook his head slightly. Finally he said, "How's your chest?" as he used another bottle of water the woman had brought with her to clean up after himself. She was in the process of doing something with several herbs she had them ranged around a tall glass jar with a lid sitting beside it. She was being very meticulous, then his mind finally registered what Stiles had asked.

"So I didn't hallucinate. I remember Peter being there, I thought he might have…" Chris said in a bit of a confused ramble.

"Oh Peter saved you too, more than me I'd say. I just pulled a rib out of your lung and knit it back together. Peter saved you from the wolves, three betas. Shouldn't have been able to even if he did have Malia with him, but he did." the boy rambled right back.

"Yes I remember," Chris started, when the woman held up a hand to him and said, "Hold that thought, I'm ready now Stiles. You should take Mr. Argent outside now."

"Yes, ma'am," the teen said and then realized that Victoria was still sitting in the chair, "should we?"

"Leave her," Mary said without looking up from something on the table, "If she happens to get a little wolves bane poisoning it's the least she deserves."

Chris is about to argue the point when the woman apparently begins weaving her spell. The hunter feels the hairs on the back of his neck, the guttural sounds the older woman is reciting has him turn to look back and see a truly horrified expression on Victoria's face that even with all she's done he would leave her behind. For a moment he almost goes back for her, the boy behind him though manages to manhandle him down the stairs into the front yard.

Where Scott is looking a little dazed sitting on the step side of Derek's Range Rover. Malia is leaning against the side of the truck, near the teenager. Watching everything with the intensity of a scientist, mentally cataloguing it all. Allison is obviously having a very intense conversation with Peter, if the uncomfortable expression on the werewolves face is any indication. The almost desperate glances he is sending Chris are also showing he's not quite sure how much to tell their teenage daughter. Then the memory of the conversation they had at the vet's office hit him and he realizes he, no they have two teenaged daughters.

Determinedly Chris Argent walks toward the arguing pair and says, "Allison, Peter, I think we have a lot to discuss. First though there is the issue of Victoria…and Gerard. They have killed at least one and perhaps two human beings. No matter what excuse they gave they need to be punished for that, agreed?"

He knew instantly he should have tempered the statement, when his daughters stoic expression crumbled a little and then was obviously pieced back together by Allison. The girl, no the woman disappeared back behind the stoic warrior's expression. He cursed himself, Victoria, and Gerard for that, but mostly himself.

"Dad, you know what I don't even care about them right now." He didn't need to see Peter's wince to know his daughter was lying. "I want to know how two men who supposedly were enemies had a daughter," and then she looked at Malia and something clicked in her head and she offered, "or is it two daughters?"

"Aunt Kate… she thought your call sign from the Middle East was hilarious, but it wasn't your call sign was it?" she said in a hushed voice. Then she looked at Peter and continued, "It was yours. Dad wasn't the Desert Wolf you were, weren't you?" At the mention of that name Malia looked at Peter with a look of recognition as well. At the mention of the Desert Wolf though, Peter only had eyes for Chris.

"You took my call sign?" He said and even Scott heard the almost love struck awe in the older man's voice. Then realizing that both girls were staring at him, he slid back into his oily charm as he replied to Allison's question, "If you think she was amused by him having the name Desert Wolf, she wouldn't have let him hear the end of it, if she'd known his real call sign." He pulled Malia in close to his side and rubbed his cheek into his daughters hair as he gave a chuckle.

He shrugged a bit and said, "Tell me Allison are you familiar with the term Silver Fox?" When the other girl shook her head, there was a groan from her father. She glanced over at him to find he had both hands covering his face in mortification if the red tinged tips of his ears were an indication.

"A silver fox is slang for…well I guess the best way of putting it is, it's a male version of a cougar." When the brunette was looking askance at her father. "Of course this was all before he met your mother, we were both in the military at the time." He said looking over at the hunter, "We were both in the military," he told the girls easily. "We joined together, we trained together, and we were stationed together. Our specialty was scouting and intelligence gathering, our families had no idea we were stationed together." He seemed to hesitate and looked over at the still mortified Chris and said, "I have no idea what's appropriate for teenaged girls?"

"The same thing that's appropriate for teenaged boys," Allison said sternly. Looking around at Scott, Stiles, and Derek who were pretending not to listen and yet obviously could hear everything. She shook her head and headed around the side of the house before looking over her shoulder and saying, "Come on if it's going to be a family meeting, we may as well be comfortable."

Scott was up off the side step of the Range Rover with a bound. Derek had an arm wrapped around Stiles shoulders and seemed almost to be hovering over the teen. "Derek, we're with Pack. Tone it down or everyone will know. Which for the moment, we don't want remember?"

"Can't help it," Derek said through his teeth, "They tried to take out two of our Pack and you were in the same room as one of them. The wolf feels a threat to it's mate."

Slapping a hand against the Alpha's chest to stop him for a minute, and faced him with a serious expression, "Well remind him, the threat was neutralized before I even got there. The pack is safe for now, and as for me, remind him we are equals in this. I am not an Omega." He said and gently drew his fingernails down thru Derek's beard, before walking around to where the rest of the group were arranging themselves in the seating area of the Argents patio.

Peter was still standing his chin in his hand and there was a sad and distant look in his eyes that somehow made him look older and a little tired. "First things first, Derek I will be telling Talia today that I am officially joining your pack. While from what Chris says she didn't know about he and Allison. I have a feeling she was behind Malia and I being separated and erasing my memory."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "My family is part of your Pack, it only makes sense that I should also become part of your Pack. Unfortunately for your Mother I imagine Cora feels the same way, but she's still a minor." he said sadly.

"Chris and I, I think we're very much like Scott and Stiles. Friends since grade school but unlike you two we had to keep it secret. At first we didn't know why our families were enemies. You should have heard the theories we came up with, some of them were incredibly fluffy and romantic. Those were usually Chris's theories. We won't talk about those, ever again, too disturbing for your young minds. A few were closer to the truth, after several years we finally figured it out. Especially after some hunters who were friends of Gerard's took a few pot shots at us in the Preserve one evening."

"I wonder now how my father would feel if he had known the truth. How close his friends came to killing his own son?" Chris offered before adding, "On second thought, considering what happened here this evening, I may not want to know." he added thoughtfully.

"We became involved romantically while we were in high school. We were discreet, we had to be. It was a different time, and of course there was the whole werewolf/hunter issue between our families. As soon as we graduated we went into the military, we both became pilots. Thankfully we were posted together, then the Middle East happened."

Chris snorted, "We were in demand but we still remained discreet…or thought we did."

"We were together all through our military careers, we were together even when we came back. This is where things apparently get a little hazy. There are several months for both of us, that are missing. I doubt very much that Talia and Gerard wee working together but the fact of the matter remains that both of us had daughters and they were taken away by our families. That hardly seems credible as a coincidence but I have no other way to explain it," the older werewolf said with a look of frustration on his face.

"Question," said Scott raising his hand as if he were in school. "You both have time missing, Chris, sorry Mr. Argent. He was in a coma after his accident, I get that lost time. During which they apparently took Allison presumably through a C-section. Needless to say this discussion is a very awkward one for me. My question is how did they take Malia from you, how did you lose time?"

Peter and Derek shared a look and then Derek shrugged and nodded, "Werewolves are capable of accessing memories, erasing them, manipulating them, sharing them. It takes skill and practice to do any of these but it is possible. Usually only Alpha's or trained Beta's can do it. Others aren't usually allowed to because if you don't know what you're doing, you can really do serious damage to a person's psyche."

"Basically you could turn them into a living, breathing, drooling zombie," Stiles said without a hint of amusement.

"So not to be crude or anything and details are so not necessary. I mean really not necessary but how do two men have two kids. Kind of flies in the face of all those anatomy and biology lessons we've been having in school.'

"That's because you've been having human anatomy/ We're werewolves, where werewolves are concerned a little magic is to be expected." Peter explained with surprising patience.

"So human and werewolf mates could have babies. Premise One accepted. Higher ranking werewolves can mess with werewolf minds, what about human ones?" Stiles asked in a certain tone he got when he was in research mode.

"If you mean can a human mind be influenced by werewolves, yes." Peter replied easily.

"Premise two accepted. A werewolf can tell if another werewolf is pregnant, presumably by hearing the fetus' heartbeat or possibly smell it in a change of scent, like pheremones?"

"Very astute Stiles, yes either one of those is possible." Peter said, curiously trying to figure out where the boy was going with this train of thought.

"Premise three accepted. So could they also tell who the other father was by scent or whatever?"

Peter frowned and a cold sense of dread slid into his heart like a knife, he answered truthfully, "Presumably if they were familiar enough with the other person's scent then yes, it would be possible. What are you getting at Stiles?"

"So Gerard probably figured it out when Chris had his accident and was in the coma. You though, I was trying to figure out how they would know you were pregnant to do the mind whammy on you, so you explained that. So either Talia, Laura or someone high ranking in the Hale Pack figured out what was going on with you and Chris. They decided for whatever reason you couldn't keep Malia and did what they did. So my next major question? Why?"


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N~ Warning: Depressing and violent images ahead, so beware of triggers. Yes I am aware the timeline is all over the place. I'm going to chalk it up to that's what happens when you change history. That being said, keep a weather eye out, there be changes ahead. Thanks for all the reviews and faves and follows. Please keep it up, it has me writing like a fiend. Seriously, those are fangs, no they are not Cheet-O's, they're fangs. ~A **

**Chapter 24**

Peter was obviously thinking about it hard now, but so was Chris. "Talia doesn't seem to be the type to be against hunters on general principal. Although as a mate, I don't know if that's even ever happened before."

"My sister isn't against change per say, nor against hunters usually. Although she is holding on to the grudge against your sister, understandably." Chris nodded in agreement as Peter continued, "She doesn't take it so well if someone goes against her plans for them. As my nephew and I can both attest too."

"Neither does Laura, her making a Beta before she even becomes an Alpha. I'd say that was her knee jerk reaction to me becoming an Alpha before she actually has. Even if it was by accident." Derek added his input thoughtfully.

"Wouldn't she have been too young when the girls were conceived? I mean sure she would have known about the memory thing probably being Talia's heir and all but you said it required skill to do it without running the risk of accidentally scrambling someone's brain." Stiles said a frown on his face as he looked at them.

"Maybe she didn't care?" Scott suggested softly.

All of them looked at the young human he seemed to be a little pale still, whether from the poison, the cure, or both no one was sure but his suggestion had frozen the rest of the conversation. "Let's face it. When you're ten or twelve years old, you have only one real concern usually, yourself. Your appearance and status, how important you are in your family, to your friends and to strangers."

"A werewolf from what you guys have said, there's the added stress of Pack. An Alpha can become an Omega," he snapped his fingers for emphasis, "just like that, right? That's probably been drilled into her since before she was really old enough to understand it. So say she came into her favorite uncle's room, for a bedtime story?"

"Or a story about the Pack or something, you being the Keeper of Secrets and Knowledge in your Pack. You would have been relaxed and her being an Alpha even if she was a baby one. Could have sensed your pregnancy being alone in the room with you, and felt her Alpha status being threatened by a new baby or maybe just wanted to keep you to herself at that age." Stiles added as he stepped closer to his friend, then the pair began nodding in unison and talking in tandem.

"She would have planned and arranged things and then waited till you got closer to your delivery date and when she figured you were close enough," Scott continued.

"Probably by scent or by the pheromones again. She would have knocked you out probably with something in your drink?" Stiles agreed.

"Then she would have cut the baby out of you." Scott said brow furrowed, "She would have used a knife because if she had used claws it would have taken you too long to heal due to her being an Alpha."

"Children actually have steadier hands and higher levels of hand-eye coordination when they're younger," Stiles added helpfully. "She probably would have erased your memory before she actually left the house with baby Malia."

"At that age she wouldn't have realized or maybe just wouldn't have cared how dangerous what she was doing to you really was," Scott said thoughtfully.

Stiles laughed humorlessly, "I imagine she knew enough not to even try planting false memories in your brain. Instead she just erased them, otherwise she really would have scrambled your brain."

"Then she just took baby Malia and ran to the next town over and left her on the church steps or something like that. Sound feasible?" Scott asked finally looking at the others in the group.

Everyone except Allison were staring at the pair, mouths open. Allison said, "Lydia told me about this. Two bodies, one mind, you guys are kinda freaky like this."

"Perhaps," Peter said, "but they just laid out a very feasible explanation for what happened. The other of course that Talia did it to defend her position in case I ever decided to try to take over and become the Alpha in her place."

Mary came out of the sliding glass doors onto the patio. In her hands was the tall jar with a lid on it now. The contents filled about three-fourths of the jar and were purple, green, and grey, dust and flowers. She caught sight of Chris and glided across the stone pavers. She handed him the jar as she said, "I'm sure you know how to dispose of that. Apparently your wife was quite distraught when she performed this senseless act."

"As far as I can tell she took no precautions whatsoever, she probably even infected, herself and your father. I took the precaution of giving her a dose of the antidote. Anyway the house has been decontaminated, so there is no danger to you or your daughter. I'd imagine your father has no idea that he may have been poisoned and will begin to feel the effects soon enough, though I doubt he'll know what it is."

"I took the liberty of calling the police, who should be here in another ten minutes. You might want to get your stories straight between now and then. Oh and I did leave some of the flowers in the salad, not enough to do harm if not consumed internally, but enough to back up your story. I also left the salad dressing, capped, inside your fridge."

"I of course will not be here as I have no reason to be here," she said with amusement. Then there is another flash of light and she is gone again.

"How does she do that?" Chris Argent asked as stared at the jar in his hands for a moment.

"How does who do what?" Stiles snarked with a smirk of amusement. "She was never here after all, come to think of it, neither should Derek and I be."

"You called Dr. Hale when you figured out we were poisoned. He bought his daughter Malia with him because they were together when you called." Scott added helpfully.

"That is very odd," Malia said with a suspicious expression on her face as she stared between the two boys.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Allison put the annoying boy on the floor, easily as she waited for her friends. She had been trying for several days to break up with Scott, without success. The teen was annoying in his inability to take a hint. Although she could tell that he really liked her.

The knowledge that she wasn't totally human and that there were people, friends of her family who would be more than willing to kill her over it. Kind of changed her perspective on things. The fact that although Scott was supremely helpful and comforting after the weekends incident with her mother and grandfather was great.

The fact that he seemed to have conveniently forgotten that the nonhumans number now included his girlfriend and several new members of her family, not so much. Whenever Allison tried to bring up her new relationship with Malia and Peter, Scott would change the subject. Even Stiles was becoming increasingly incensed with the other boy.

Then the school photographer, Matt something, was in her face again. This would only be the third time today. Hmmph, he must be slacking today, the fact he completely ignored the personal space edict in the school handbook were easily handled with some well trained skills in the location of pressure points on an opponent. The girls had wandered off and the incident with Matt Daehler was quickly forgotten.

**Several weeks later: **Talia Hale was unusually tense and exhausted , especially for someone who was metaphorically at the top of her game. She was a well-known and respected attorney. One of the best in the state who had been courted by dozens of law firms out of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, even as far away as New York. She had turned them all down. Usually because they expected her to move to their location and be available at a moments notice.

She politely refused with the truthful excuse that she wasn't going to uproot her family from the house they had lived in for several generations. Which wasn't to say she didn't take cases out side of town or even outside of the state, she did, she was just selective and was careful to have everyone vetted. Usually by her husband or Peter who had been conspicuously absent these several weeks. She knew he had been absent from the hospital claiming the need for personal time, not really something usually requested by a werewolf.

Peter's absence although inconvenient and odd wasn't really what was bothering her. Nor was the long absences of her daughter after school and in the evenings. Although her conflict with her older sister was beginning to get on her last maternal nerve was definitely contributing to Talia's exhaustion and tension.

The last full moon three of their number had been absent from the usual Hale Pack activities. The three were distant cousins who had been a handful since they had been dropped off by their parents in their early teens. Always an aggravating and idiotic handful, Talia was very seriously considering throwing the trio out of the pack.

So in a way their absence had been a relief, she wouldn't have to throw them out if they left on their own. On the other hand their absence was also worrying for the other members of the Pack if their shenanigans continued and drew unwanted attention to the Pack.

The other shoe had dropped when the trio had been found in a shallow grave. Their bodies obviously mauled and then somewhat scattered through the woods by other predators. Even Talia couldn't tell who or what had originally killed the boys, who could only be identified by dental records and the identification in their pockets.

On top of that there were humans in town who were dying mysteriously but violently none the less.

A recent connection had been found by the Sheriff, and reported to the media for the safety of the public. Apparently all of the people killed and yes it was believed to be murders made to look like wild animal attacks, were all members of the swim team from several years back. The connection had been made when the former swim team coach, a man named Lahey had been killed in the State prison. The cell door had actually been bent in, computers had been fed a virus and the prisoner had been mauled.

Most of the deaths were still local and still being called animal attacks and were entirely to close for the Alpha's comfort. It smacked of the supernatural and anything supernatural bought too much unwanted attention to Beacon Hills and her people. The last thing they needed were hunters in their territory trying to track down whatever was doing the killing.

Add to that the stress of a baby Alpha acting out to the point of attacking one of the younger Beta's for not obeying a rather ridiculous order that he had actually laughed at her over. The Beta probably shouldn't have laughed, but her daughters reaction had again been violently over the top. The order really had been a stupid one. Such tasks were usually left to do as a whole Pack thing for the entire family to work on and instead of a punishment or to single out a Pack member.

Cleaning out the gutters, usually was to be done followed by a picnic and games. Now her daughter was literally sulking, the Beta a young man who had potential was resentful and healing slowly and Laura didn't even have the excuse of it being too close to the full moon. On top of that although Talia had covered for her daughter was still only the heir not the Alpha yet and shouldn't have been giving orders about anything. The mother was angry, the Alpha was furious, everyone and everything was tense.

So she decided to go shopping, most women did find retail therapy to be very cathartic. What made Talia different was that she actually found grocery shopping relaxing. Walking up and down the aisles, comparing the ingredients and attributes of different foods were actually a balm to her tension. Her mate who was the house husband learned to write specific lists for what he absolutely needed, specified with name and size of ingredient but some things were left vague for Talia to choose. Her mate was adaptable fortunately.

So it was that the Alpha Hale, one of the most respected Alpha's on this side of the Atlantic and Pacific could be found in the local market looking through soups for one she especially liked when sensed she was being boxed in. Without concern she looked up at the end of the aisle to find a girl she didn't recognize, Christopher Argent, and a young man who looked vaguely familiar. She turned her head and at the other end of the aisle were Peter, another young woman who looked vaguely familiar, and…her son Derek.

The only other Pack or former Pack member who knew her weakness for the retail therapy she preferred as an outlet for her frustrations. Although protocol would normally demand that she speak directly to Derek, Alpha to Alpha. The boy had no Pack and therefore no status, she spoke to Peter instead. "So is this where you've been hiding Peter, with the rogue?"

"Protocol would demand that you be sanctioned for associating with someone who has been thrown out of the Pack." The Alpha said disdainfully.

"I think I'm a little long in the tooth for being sent to my room without dinner don't you Talia? Besides actually I have been spending time with my Mate and my family." Peter Hale saw what he had been looking for, it was merely a flash of emotion in her eyes but he saw it. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You can't have Mated yet, proper protocol demands you introduce her to the Pack. Not that I'll approve, you were promised to the first born daughter of the DeNoon Pack out of Canada, when she comes of age…" Talia said coldly.

"When she comes of age, she'll be out of luck, because he's already mine," Chris Argent said holding his hand up to show a healed bite mark on the fleshy part of his left hand. "But then you know that. You've known it for a very long time now."

"Yes, we've come to invite you to the wedding, sister dear. I know it's short notice, but Allison here is a master organizer, and Malia has incredible and beautiful instincts." Peter said and there was no mistaking his paternal pride in both girls.

Talia was confused and angry, the last she had heard Chris Argent only had one daughter. Also he was married to Victoria Argent, true Victoria had supposedly tried to kill said daughter and her boyfriend by feeding them poison. Chris had come home in time to stop them eating too much and first aid had been rendered in time to stop any permanent damage.

She looked over at her brother suspiciously as he looked at the other man with a besotted expression. "The Alpha chooses who is mated to whom, its how we stabilize our relations with the other Packs."

"Only in your Pack sister dear," said Peter as he placed his left hand on Derek's shoulder showing off his bite mark. It wasn't as clearly defined as Chris' but then Chris wasn't a werewolf.

"He's a rogue, he doesn't have a Pack," Talia said dismissively.

"Actually Mother, I do have quite a growing family. In no small part thanks to you." Derek said with a small smile. Damn those dimples, they were the same as his fathers and made him her favorite until they figured out it was Laura who would be the heir.

"What do you mean, thanks to me?" Talia asked suspiciously.

"Well of course he has his own betas, and others. Turns out in some instances you can choose your family. Especially when the original turns out to be kinda piss poor and abandons you for being a good fighter and survivor." The boy who looked familiar was walking down the aisle in front of her without a care in the world.

Then he stopped in front of her and said with a glance over his shoulder at one of the security cameras that doted the ceiling of the supermarket, "Personally I would have thought those would be considered incredible qualities in anyone especially a werewolf. Of course putting them out on the street, disowning them it could also just make an embittered and justified enemy." he said with a shrug. When he walked u to her son and taking both sides of Derek's face in his hands the boy pulled him down and laid a kiss on him that had even her wanting to fan herself.

"Or not," Derek said holding the younger mans hand against his face, The pair only had eyes for each other, "As it is after careful consideration of their case against you I have agreed to accept Peter and his family into my Pack. Peter, his Mate, Christopher Argent and their daughters Allison and Malia.

"Peter only had on-," Talia realized her mistake when red eyes flashed up to meet her own brown ones. In an instant she went from being dismissed by this group of people to being the center of their attention and it was a decidedly uncomfortable feeling. Especially when they were joined by three other males, all with glowing golden eyes.

The teen looked at her and scowled slightly, "Name, social security number and next of kin? Just one question," then the boys scowl lightened as he said, "Well maybe more than one, "Was it you or Laura who actually cut Malia out of Peter?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

The blond gradually became aware of her surroundings again. She was in her families living room, luckily she hadn't hit any sharp edges when she had fallen this time. She did wince as she pushed herself up, favoring her left arm. The floor didn't need sharp edges to hurt you if you hit it hard enough.

She flexed her fingers feeling the tingling of pins and needles of a limb that had apparently had the circulation cut off for several minutes. As well as the dull throb of a bruise forming on her elbow where it had hit the floor. Pushing herself into a sitting position she craned her neck to try and look over the couch into the kitchen. She only had half an hour, maybe forty-five minutes before her parents got home.

Crawling painfully into the kitchen she pulled herself to a standing position by the counter. She pulled out a bottled water and drank from it greedily, her hands shaking slightly. Then gave herself a dose of Phenobarbital before heading back into the living room and settled back onto the couch to do her homework. Summer school was a pain, but she had missed so much last year it was a necessity, besides it was only a half day.

She just wished she had some friends or even just one. Stiles had been one when she was younger. He had stayed with her even when she had her first seizure in front of him. He had visited her in hospital with comic books, a stuffed black cat that still sat on her bed in her room, and yogurt covered nuts and raisins cause they were her favorite. They had agreed that Batman was the best Superhero cause he used brain rather than brawn After that he was Batman and she was Cat Woman.

Lately though she had been out of school more and he was spending more and ore tie with his dad and Scott and of course after his mom had died, he hadn't really wanted to spend time at the hospital. Something she could completely understand and didn't really blame him for at all. Still she felt the loneliness like a weigh on her shoulders at times like these.

Erica heard her parents pull up in the driveway and pasted a smile on her face but kept her head down. She was determined to stay in school no matter what. She wanted to be as normal as possible, for as long as possible. Last visit to the doctor he had once again strongly suggested that she drop out of regular school and be home schooled. Her family couldn't afford for her mom or dad to stop working so that they could stay home and baby-sit her.

"Watch you die a little each day you mean," she thought to herself. Even as she called out a cheery greeting to her parents when they came in the door. She knew that's what she was doing, putting off her inevitable death because one day soon. Hopefully not too soon, she would have a massive seizure and either die instantly or be turned into a vegetable. The most terrifying outcome of all to her, would be if she were trapped inside her own body, aware as she slowly wasted away. Trapped in the dark alone as she faded away, that was her greatest fear.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N~ Just realized that I probably should have given warnings for mpreg. So sorry, it was such a part of the story it just never even occurred to me for it to be a thing. I apologize yes there is mpreg in this actually double mpreg. There is also implied sex, inappropriate language and well jus remember this is a T-rated fanfic. Enough said, also remember this fic is slash and it fiction. Possibly OOC in places. ~A**

**Chapter 25**

The new pack and yes both Derek and Stiles, realized that they needed another name for their little group, were beginning to draw attention to themselves. The little market was small but busy and the fact his mother was being stubborn about confessing to any wrongdoing, wasn't helping.

Peter was seething to the point his eyes were glowing blue. Malia's eyes were also glowing and she was growling, having spent several years in coyote form, she was about to go feral on the arrogant Alpha. Stiles just smiled and said, "Well, Alpha Hale, I give you credit. You are stupidly loyal to some of your Pack at least. Too bad it's the wrong member. It's also rather obvious that loyalty is as useless as your word."

He said and held a wordless conversation with Derek who without a single sound had the pack melting into the rest of the store and basically disappearing. "I don't know what you're talking about," Talia responded with open hostility now that she was just facing the pair of them.

"You're daughter has turned a Beta, without even being named an Alpha yet, and then abandoned him. As I understand it that is a very bad tenant to break. It could expose you to the humans, cause the hunters to come after you. Even your own kind would turn against you, feel free to stop me if I make a mistake?" Stiles said.

"Add to that the fact that you interfered with a mate bond, and stole a child from your own brother and put the were-child with a human family without any warning or training, and altered the memories of a member of your Pack without their permission or knowledge," Stiles brow knit as he asked considering, "How many laws has she broken, well she or her daughter, I've lost track now."

"At least five, no six. Surviving an Alpha's attack isn't even against the rules. Throwing the survivor out of the Pack, is Alpha optional. She chose," Derek said and even the growl in his voice couldn't hide the sorrow.

"Messed up your plans did he?" Stiles said and there was a cold venom in his voice that had the older woman look away from her son and stare at what her wolf considered the bigger threat. The teenager with the amber eyes who looked too familiar. "What were your plans for your son, and your brother? Let me guess, Derek was going to become his sisters Beta, her enforcer…what's the term?"

"Bolverk. Basically I would be Laura's knee breaker or…what did you call it mother, doer of evil deeds?" Derek offered helpfully. "Basically like Peter is for mom,"

"Let me guess then she would pick your wife to enlarge the pack. Someone suitable from another pack, that would make an appropriate wife and ensure a stronger bond with another Pack?" Stiles said angrily,

"To hell with that, you're mine." Stiles said possessively and pulled the young Alpha down and then engaged in a rather intense PDA, before smiling and saying. "Needless to say Alpha Hale. My mate doesn't need you, Peter doesn't want you, neither does his mate or pups and Laura's Beta has decided to move on to a much better Alpha who has also decided to start a Pack of his own."

"I never gave permission for that," Talia said sharply.

"Frankly, I don't care." Stiles said with a hiss, "Really Talia Hale I expected better from you and your Pack after helping to save you from Kate Argent." he shook his head and took Derek's arm before guiding the younger Alpha out of the aisle the others had already headed for the exit.

Boyd, Issac with Jackson's arm wrapped around his shoulders were also already heading through the doors at the front of the store. Peter was walking out behind Allison and Malia who had both wrapped their arms around each other supportively.

Outside those double doors, Cora was waiting for Jackson in his drivers seat, . He walked around to the other side and held the seat for Issac to fold himself into the non-existent back seat. Lydia was waiting in Derek's drivers seat. She climbed in the back when she saw the scowl on the Alpha's face and Boyd soon joined her there.

Chris, was waiting for Peter and the girls, the smile he had on his face was reassuring and loving. As the trio of vehicles left the market's parking lot no one noticed the young woman sitting in her mothers car, watch them as they left.

Derek had been the first to leave and when he signaled to pull over a couple of blocks away. They all pulled in together, Cora on her brothers right side, Chris on the left. Stiles didn't look at either side as he was afraid they'd notice his eyes had changed. He wasn't sure they had but considering his anger levels, he also wouldn't doubt it.

He had to bring the sarcasm, being Stiles how could he do anything less, "You know for a trip to the market I notice a surprising lacking in the groceries, does anybody else notice a surprising lack of groceries? Something we should think of getting considering the appetites of so many big bad wolves, and nobody is getting my basket of goodies for three long years."

At the blank silence that followed the last statement, a flush of pink flowed up into Stiles hair line, "I said that last part out loud, didn't I?"

"Why yes, Stiles, yes you did," Peter replied helpfully. "May I commend you on knowing the expiration date on your…goodies Red Riding Hood. Now since we didn't actually get groceries and after this endeavor I'm decidedly needing some red meat. A trip to The Peaks, might be in order. My treat. We can gather the rest of the Pack, and meet there."

"Allison can you call Scott and please make sure to invite his mother, Stiles you get hold of your father and Mary, and Cora you call your friend Danny. I'll make the reservations. It is a bit of a drive but that might help settle some of our emotions."

"You mean the emotions wherein we all pretty much want to kill your sister and the niece who isn't Cora?" Allison said deadpan, Malia looked over at her new sister in shock. Her daddy and her papa both looked back at Allison and then both men burst out laughing as Allison smirked at Malia who just shook her head in an agreeing manner.

"Yes my dear girl, those would be the emotions I am referring to, and by the way Chris. Have I mentioned how very glad I am that we have two such wonderfully bloodthirsty children. It also doesn't hurt that they are both so beautiful." Peter said and there was a lighthearted but serious tone to his voice.

Chris laughed as he started the SUV and headed out of the parking lot followed by the rest of the pack. "No actually you didn't."

"Remind me to thank you for that later?" he werewolf said with equal amounts of amusement and suggestiveness in his voice.

Cora called her uncle and said, "Other than you and Jackson aren't the rest of us a little under dressed for the Peaks?" she asked practically.

"Clever Cora, not when we can reserve a private dining room. Now need you to find out what steak everyone would like. I highly recommend the Prime Rib and we'll order when we get there,"

"Peter from what I remember, the Peaks requires at least a week in advance on their reservations," Cora reminded.

"Unless of course, you're a doctor. Apparently that has some pull, even in this small area of California. Now you call Danny and make sure to tell Mellissa, Mary, and the Sheriff that I don't intend to take no for an answer," he said before hanging up and calling the Peaks.

"Yes, Giovanni please," there was a slight pause as the receptionist found the man in question, "Giovanni it's Dr. Hale I was wondering I know it's short notice but we're having an impromptu celebration and….

He paused as the man on the other side of the phone call gave what sounded to Allison like a gushing squeal, asked several questions in rather rapid fire Italian, "Yes there will probably be around two dozen, and no please don't go to any trouble. But if you have a few minutes to spare I would love for you to meet my family?" More gushing and discussion before Peter hung up.

Only to have the phone ring again a few seconds later, "Cora you're on speaker phone dear. Go ahead."

"Why am I on speaker phone?" Cora asked her tone going sharp and high as she asked the question.

"Because I just got off the phone with Giovanni who was a little over excited and my ears are still ringing, any other questions?" Peter said without snapping at the other girl and Chris put it down to the other man trying to make a good impression on their daughters.

"No," Cora said a little huffily.

When she didn't say anything further for two minutes, Peter sighed and reminded, "Cora? You called me dear, was there something you needed?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," the girl said and you could practically see the blush through the phone, "Danny said, he had a family thing and couldn't come."

"Is his family in the know, so to speak?" Peter asked helpfully.

"Well yeah, except for the youngest ones of course," Cora said a little thoughtfully.

"Well then invite the ones who are there to come to the restaurant with Danny and let them know that casual dress is fine. I have found my family, joined a new Pack which my nephew has created, we have new Betas to be officially accepted and all things considered I think a celebratory dinner is the least I can do. Don't you think nephew?" he said not even raising his voice.

The driver of the other SUV honked his horn several times as if in enthusiastic agreement. Cora actually giggled and Jackson's response was, "He just wants the steak."

When they finally arrived at the restaurant the somber mood had lifted and everyone was laughing and cheerful. Everyone except the young woman in the black Camaro who had followed them from Beacon Hills. She didn't have to go into the restaurant to overhear their conversation, the benefits of werewolf genetics.

Peter had apparently saved the life of the owners granddaughter, ever since the older man had practically gushed over the man, who was her uncle. The cell phone buzzed from her passenger seat, she ignored it. Her mother was unimportant at this point.

The fact that her opponent was already gathering a Pack that included two of her Beta's so far was important and clearly a challenge in her territory. The fact that he had hugged and kissed Cora in front of her was unacceptable he wasn't supposed to have any interaction with their family after he had been thrown out of their Pack was on her mother for being such a weak disciplinarian.

The fact that he now claimed her Beta who she had made was also a Challenge against her. The object of her leaving the Beta was to make sure the old code of survival of the fittest still held. After all if the Beta couldn't survive his first moon without help, what good was he to her. The fact that Derek had put his hand supportively on the back of his neck was something you didn't do with someone else's Beta, it just wasn't done.

She would have to teach this new Alpha a lesson in manners.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Later that evening: **Peter listened to the three girls driving away from his apartment for as long as he could. They were supposed to meet Lydia at her house where a slumber party was to take place.

Peter whined to Chris, "Why couldn't they have stayed here? I have plenty of room. Do I need to get a bigger house? I can do that. I'll call the realtor tomorrow and…"

"Pete, calm down," Chris called and it was the old nickname more than anything that caught Peter's attention. He turned to look at the other man who had that warm smile with the dimples he loved. "You know you're beginning to sound like the creepy uncle now."

Peter groaned slightly as he admitted, "I was afraid of that. It's just I've already missed so much of their lives. I don't want to miss anymore of them, God they're practically grown already. We'll blink and they'll be gone to college. God need to start college funds for them, for all the kids really. I mean can you imagine Stiles, Danny, and Lydia at MIT? They'd wipe the floor with those fuddy duddies. To hell with build a better mouse trap, they'd build a better demon trap. Allison and Malia I wonder if they'd prefer Brown, Cornell…I wonder if we should get a place near their school…"

His chatter only stopped when he realized that there were a pair of lips attached to his own. He gasped for breath for a few seconds, before saying, "Did it again didn't I?"

He didn't miss the almost dreamy quality in the other man's eye as Chris merely nodded his head, a little breathless himself. Chris then looked down and backed away as he said, "Sorry, forgot myself there for a minute."

Peter reached out before the hunter could move too far away, wrapped his fingers loosely around the other mans wrist and said, "She tried to make me forget you. She made me forget Malia but she couldn't make me forget you. She tried and nearly fried my brain I think…I think she was maybe trying to fry my brain, but she couldn't erase you. You were my constant."

Chris' breath hitched and his eyes were squeezed shut as the werewolf reeled him closer. "I couldn't forget you either, but I had to try. When I woke up from the coma, I wanted to go back to you as soon as I could. It's what made me fight so hard to get better." He shook his head still with his eyes squeezed tightly shut and said, "At first they were more concerned with whether I would wake up, they didn't think I would."

"When I did wake up, they showed me the damage on the x-rays. They said I wouldn't walk without a cane if I ever did walk again. I fought to get better, I fought because I knew no one had told you about the accident. I wanted you to know that I hadn't left or forgotten you," Chris said desperately.

There was something in is expression that had Peter pull the other man to the couch. He pulled him down into the corner of the couch and pulled the seldom used throw on the back of the sofa to wrap around the two of them. "Tell me, what happened," he told the other man.

It took several minutes for Chris to gather his thoughts and collect his emotions before he began. "When I started actually getting better, when I was actually able to walk he came in and told the nurse he needed a few minutes alone with me."

He snorted morosely before he said, "I thought he would be proud of my progress. Instead he wanted to tell me that he knew about the two of us. He said if I ever met you again, he would know and he would put a price on your head and have you dead within the week. I tried to argue with him. He ignored me, ignored what I had to say and left. Three days after he brought me a newspaper."

"A newspaper that said you had been in a hit and run and your arm had been broken. He said next time you would be dead. I…I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let him near you." Chris said and he was nearly sobbing by the end of the confession.

Peter was barely keeping himself from growling at the story his former lover was reciting. If he ever met Gerard again the man would be dead before their encounter was over. "I would have gotten you back. You and the girls, I would have gotten our family back together. I don't know how but I would have figured it out, even if it had driven me mad in the end. You are my love and that will never end."

The other man took his hand and kissed the palm and whispered, "My mate."

"Yes, and you are mine," said Peter huskily. "Gerard will die if he comes anywhere near our Pack again. My family is not going to live under his thumb any longer."

He lowered his head and kissed the man who was practically sitting in his lap, "God, I've missed so much, too much. You, the girls growing up, us together, no more. You know, I still haven't properly thanked you for our daughters." He said lowering his head to take the other mans lips in a long, leisurely kiss.

"Oh gawd," Allison cried as she and Malia and Cora came into the room. "Ok dads this is not cool. We need to set up some signal for when you guys are having a date night or whatever this is." she said waving her arms broadly her cheeks tinted with a blush.

Cora couldn't stop giggling and Malia was just looking between the two men and her sister curiously. "This could scar us knowing that out parents had sex."

Malia looked at her sister with a scowl on her face and said, "Why? They had sex to have us, they would have had to obviously or we wouldn't be here. You're being ridiculous, you've had sex with Scott. You said it was incredible. Don't you think Daddy and Papa should have that too?"

By this time Cora was literally laying on the floor laughing so hard tears were flowing from her eyes. Allison was looking at her sister scandalized as she said, "Mali, we need to talk about your brain to mouth filter."

"What brain to mouth filter?" Malia asked looking very confused.

"Exactly," Allison said a little heatedly.

"Ladies," Chris said, and he was nearly choking with laughter or the revelation about Allison and Scott actually having had sex was unclear. When he got their daughters, and yes that did melt something inside him, attention, "I'm assuming there's a reason you came back, did you forget something?"

"No," Allison said quickly, "Lydia called the giggling idiot on the floor, the power is out at her house, she wondered if you would mind if we had the sleepover here."

"That would be great, your Papa and I will go get the snack food. You go get stuff set up upstairs," Peter said as he helped Chris up from the couch, "and don't forget to tell Lydia." He said as he led the other man to the counter to retrieve his keys to the SUV.

Chris looked back at Allison, "And we _will_ be discussing your involvement with Scott McCall, Allison."

"At a later time," Peter added. As he dragged him out the door.

"You were totally going to let her get away with the whole underage sex thing, weren't you?" Chris said suspiciously.

"Of course," he said joyfully as he led him to the SUV, "didn't you hear them, they called us Dad and Papa. I'd probably let them get away with murder for that."

Chris stared at the other man scandalized. Peter saw the look and said, "What? I said probably."

"And just like that I'm the disciplinary parent." Chris said with mock exasperation. "On top of that you had another first tonight."

"What's that?" Peter asked with an enthusiastic grin.

"You just got cock-blocked by our daughters and their pack mates," Once again he was trying hard not to laugh hysterically at the expression on his mates face. In the end he couldn't contain it, laughing like a madman as he walked into the market with a pouting werewolf walking in behind him.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N~ Sorry this chapter is a little late but I wasn't quite sure how to end it, or where and then I was inspired. Hope everyone is enjoying this and please continue to read, enjoy and review. Thank you for all the love. I just realized this story has received well over 20,000 views. Great job, you guys, I'm really glad you're enjoying it. ~A**

**Chapter 26**

Erica walked into the cafeteria with one table starting their usual chorus of "spaz" and "freak". She ignored them and headed to the lunch line, she was wearing an oversized t-shirt and jeans and a hoodie. Her blond hair shielded her face from the prying eyes of her classmates and teachers.

Well most of them anyway, two of the guys from the table who had made the catcalls as she came in, seemed to be being egged on by the others. "Not today, please not today," Erica whispered under her breath.

Her body still aching from the last seizure she's had. It was actually getting harder to cover up and hide the bruises from her parents. She groaned under her breath as she saw the two tall teens heading in her direction. She tried to pretend she didn't see them coming by looking beyond them. Then her eyes met another pair of eyes, amber and angry looking, that had her pulled sharply back into the here and now.

Followed closely by someone deliberately knocking her tray out of her hands. "Geez Reyes, are you really such a spaz, you can't even walk straight? What's up with that?"

The two bigger boys had her trapped up against the rails that helped guide the trays along in front of the food warmers. "Yeah, the only thing you got going for you is that impressive…"

Dark spiky hair had ducked under one of the skate punks arm where it had leaned against the food display. The rest was kind of a blur, as both of the bigger boys was suddenly thrown against the half wall that separated the kitchen and dining areas of the cafeteria.

"One more word, out of that filthy mouth of yours Tyler, just one. I'll make sure you eat maggoty garbage for the next three days." promised a voice that belonged to a boy, she had been crushing on for a while. Stiles Stilinski was standing up for her.

"Stilinski, mind your own business." Tyler said irritably, not concerned with the smaller teen. Just annoyed at the interruption and curious how the little douche could throw his 6'2" frame that far. Then he looked over and discovered his buddy Max was struggling to get back on his feet. He was dangling over the half wall more on the dining side than the kitchen side.

Reaching over Tyler helped his friend out by pulling him back over the wall to the kitchen side. Max angrily pulled his shirt back down turned around and said, "I'll sue."

Stiles stood up out of what had probably been something of a fighting stance in front of Erica and said in a rather amused tone, "Hey go for it dude, do what you got to do. Just remember, my dad's the sheriff, I deliver fresh baked cookies to two of the three judges in this town every Thursday, and you two still have to come to school Monday thru Friday of every week."

Stiles said in a voice that was amused but as he continued to talk Erica noticed something. The two bigger teens began to look more nervous. "Also in case you haven't noticed, there are video cameras in this cafeteria," he said indicating where one looked down toward them from above the register and where another hung further back in the kitchen area.

"And if you prefer the human touch there are the over two hundred witnesses who are watching right now." he said pointing behind them. Sure enough they were the center of attention in the somewhat crowded confines of the cafeteria.

"So hears my advice to you, go back to the table with your other friends and eat your lunch and leave. Don't harass anyone, don't prank anyone and do not try to make anyone the butt of your jokes…like ever. Cause as a comedy aficionado I feel its my duty to let you know…your jokes… not that funny. No really, they're pretty lame, or hadn't you noticed that you're pretty much the only one that laughs. You know why, cause _you're not that funny."_ he said shrugging his shoulders

"You want me to prove it? I'll prove it, yeah." He went to stand at the end of the wall and yelled, "Hey guys, can I get your attention," since everyone was already staring in his direction, it wasn't that hard.

"Tyler and Max think the jokes and pranks they pull on people are funny, anybody else think so?" The three other guys at Tyler and Max's table cheered,

That was it, the rest was dead silence. "Anybody want to let them know how not funny they are?" The tables that Stiles had come from, started booing and a few hisses were also heard. The lacrosse team, the science geeks, the other sports teams, all took up the call, until Stiles held up his hands and everyone quieted down.

He looked at the pair and when they still stood there staring at him, he raised his eyebrow at them. The rest of the pack chuckled and smirked as they recognized the expression that was totally Derek. "You're still here? Why are you still here? Go back to your table now. Shoo!" he said waving his hands at them as if they were loathsome creatures he wanted nothing to do with. The pair looked around embarrassed as several of the closer students snickered and giggled at the trio.

Stiles walked back to stand beside Erica and said, "Ms. Minnie I'm sorry about the mess but can we get a replacement tray please?"

"Sure thing sweetie," said the older woman as she walked back and put together a tray with what Erica had ordered. The tiny, raw boned woman gave Erica the tray and gently patted her cheek as she said, "Buck up honey, you're not alone."

She then patted Stiles on the shoulder and said, "You did good kid." before walking back into the kitchen.

Without asking Stiles guide Erica over to the popular table and introducing her to everyone there, "Everyone this is Erica, Erica this is Jackson, Cora, Scott, Allison, Issac, Lydia, Danny, and Boyd." Stiles guided her to sit between him and Boyd before sitting down himself.

The group apparently went back to some of the conversations they had been having before. Issac and Boyd drew her into a conversation they had been having about cars. Erica was apparently a very handy mechanic. She explained that before she became ill her father had been teaching her how to rebuild engines.

Erica was unaware that members of the Pack had been following her for several days now. Stiles had actually known Erica since they were both rather young. Although the pair had never really become as close as Scott and he, Stiles had always considered the young blond as a friend.

Now he was seriously considering recommending the young woman to Derek for the bite. He had already studied and talked with Derek about the possibility. Derek had been one of the ones following her. The Alpha had been furious when he had discovered the level of harassment the young woman had encountered due to her illness. As Stiles had imagined when he had suggested turning Erica, Derek's papa wolf tendencies had of course come out full bore.

It had been obvious that they were in full on adoption mode after that. Danny had still refused the bite after he and Jackson had another discussion. Jackson had explained that Derek was very obviously not at all like his sister. Danny and Derek had also heard him say that Stiles was another very strong reason that Jackson had settled so easily into being a werewolf.

Every other Saturday Mrs. Mahaelani would bring food for the other Pack for after training. Considering the woman already had six children Stiles really wasn't sure how she afforded it. Until one day Danny had brought over his father. He recognized the former football player. The man was impressively built and his once famous unruly long hair was pulled into a neat ponytail over his suit.

The man was the owner of several men's clothing good stores. With impressive big and tall sections in the stores. He did most of the designing and the day to day stuff so he was away from home quite a bit. Recently though he had decided to try and get the stores headquarters moved closer to their current home. The simple reason he missed his family, not so simple hearing his wife saying there were strange things going on and seeing his son's best friend wolf out partially to play Little Pigs with his four-year old twin daughters, was quite another.

Later that day in the library, Erica had been invited to a study group with several members of the pack. Jackson, Issac, Cora, Stiles, Scott, Allison, Erica, and Lydia were all in the stacks of the library. Danny was supposed to be meeting them but was running a little late.

Stiles, Scott, Cora, and Danny were supposed to be doing a Chemistry study session. Lydia, Jackson, and Allison were working on their Math homework and Issac and Erica were working on a English essay on a Pop Culture reference essay of their choice. They were having trouble deciding on what subject they wanted to work on. Erica had decided to work on "_Supernatural_", but Issac was having a harder time choosing the topic.

There were a few problems, mainly the fact that Scott and Allison were using their time in the stacks for a little more than looking up pertinent material for their homework. After the third time of Stiles catching the pair together necking, despite the fact they were in the library had used an outdoor voice to call them on the carpet. Scott had taken exception, with the rather childish retort, "You're not my boss Stiles,"

"No but you need a keeper obviously," the teen replied with a slight hiss as he lowered his voice and reminded. "You've been put on detention three times in two weeks. You would have been expelled if Harris had caught you both in the Janitors closet if certain people hadn't distracted the nimrod."

"Yeah but I…" Scott began only to be interrupted by the Spark.

"You've missed lacrosse practice twice in as many weeks, her grades have dropped half a grade point and yours have dropped nearly a grade point. Which means that when your parents get your respective report cards at the end of the month. Not only will you be grounded from each other they will probably ground you from the Pack, and that is unacceptable. So I'm doing a pre-emptive strike."

He drew a deep breath and said, "Until your grades improve, you are grounded from each other and Pack. You may train individually to keep up your fitness but you are grounded from meetings, training and of course anything to do with each other. Any questions?"

Scott looked gob smacked, while Allison just looked guilty. When neither of them said anything and Stiles said with a serious expression said, "Good Allison get back to your study group. I think you've kept Lydia waiting long enough don't you?"

Allison quickly hurried back to where her study group was working. Meanwhile Scott pushed Stiles into one of the library shelving units and for once Stiles was glad his friend hadn't become a werewolf or the entire shelving system would probably have toppled over. "Where do you get the right to tell me and Allison when we can and can't see each other?"

"When it affects your grades, your friends, and other things that don't actually involve your dick man," Stiles said in an equally hostile voice. "You and your mom both wanted you to go to college. I assume that's still something you wanted to do. You really think that's going to happen with a 2.8. You think your mom could afford to send you to any college without scholarship help? Do you really think they give out scholarships on grades like that?"

Scott looked at him with a stricken face, "That's not, my scores are…."

Stiles looked around and lowered his voice to a venomous hiss before saying, "I had Danny hack the grades, they're real and accurate and you will bring them back up by the end of semester, because I don't know about you, but I get a hole in my chest every time your mom or my dad gets that disappointed look on their faces."

Scott started to open his mouth again when Stiles looked over to the next aisles through several of the stacks and saw several members of the Pack and surprisingly Erica in the stacks listening in shamelessly. Stiles looked on in obvious irritation and said, "Really guys," then they all heard an odd guttural hissing noise.

They were all looking around and then things started flying off the shelves at them, heavy books, papers, light fixtures, were being ripped from the ceiling and the stacks and thrown at the group. Other students in the library ran for the door, other pack members ran into the shelves to help their friends. Stiles nearly tripped over Erica who unfortunately was unconscious on the floor possibly from falling debris or from a seizure they couldn't tell.

Jackson and Issac were going after the thing that was crawling across the top of stacks. The lizard like creature meanwhile was swiping at them with its tail and claws, while swiping more things down on top of the teens still on the floor. This became especially painful when the law books from the very top shelf were swept down on their heads. Stiles did his best to cover Erica with his own body.

Then the light from the end of the aisle they were on was blocked out. Preparing a spell even as he looked up Stiles was relieved to see Boyd and Danny standing there. "Get them out of here," he yelled over the noise. Danny reached in and quickly pulled Erica too him and lifted her bridal style to run out with her.

Stiles shoved Scott and Allison toward the huge werewolf and used his leg to pull himself to a standing position as he pushed a spell into the other man's skin. When a claw came down at swiped at the werewolves shoulder, nothing happened. There was a roar of rage.

Then the larger wolf was out of the library, he quickly morphed back as he took off his jacket and laid it over the blond curled up on the floor. "Watch her," he growled at the pair he had just pulled out of the library before following the Hawaiian lacrosse player back into the war zone that was the library.

Elsewhere the two male werewolves were pulling the creature off the top of the stacks and Cora once they had slammed it to the ground was slashing viciously at the creature. Showing an unnatural dexterity, the top half of the thing, yanked its clawed hands free of where Jackson had hold of it and turned over to stab Cora in the abdomen before shoving her against the other Jackson as he moved back in to regain control of the lizards upper torso.

Then it kicked Issac hard into the wall at the end of the aisle. Before Stiles could reach out for the creature, it was gone over the top of the stacks before Danny could even get Lydia out into the hall. No one could follow the lizard without giving away what they were to anyone who might be looking. Now they just had to explain what had destroyed the library. Everyone looked at Stiles, who let his head fall into his hands with a groan.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Her parents were as furious and concerned as the parents of the other students who had been caught in the library were. Hers were naturally more concerned than others because of her seizures. Erica wasn't quite sure why she hadn't had a seizure during the attack. No one was really sure what had happened in the library, some of the teachers were trying to blame the kids in the library for what had happened except that all of them had given each other alibis. She wasn't really sure whether anyone believed them, she wasn't sure what had happened herself except that she knew that her new friends hadn't been involved and she was pretty sure they had saved her life.

However, when they had tried to keep her from returning to school she had flatly refused. Erica's parents were shocked at her rejection of the idea. She explained that she finally had friends she wasn't just gonna leave them behind, because something might trigger a seizure.

After several more minutes of arguing her parents had finally agreed. Erica had a feeling that the only reason her parents had finally given in was because they were afraid that she would have a seizure. Surprisingly enough the teenager hadn't had any seizures for several days. She wasn't sure what had caused the remission in her ailment but she liked to think it was Stiles and his group. They made her feel safe, and on some level she thought her brain chemistry was responding to that.

Erica knew the truth, in reality the seizures would come back and at some point they would kill her. For right now this new sense of security was giving her the strength she needed to continue with school.

**Closer to the full moon: **Why Coach Finstock thought this was a good idea, no one really knew, not even the Coach himself. The fact that the school insisted that he get permission slips for insurance policy purposes. That right there should have set off huge honking warning bells in his head.

He was impressed that Scott McCall got as far as he did was impressive in itself. Unfortunately the Argent girl was going to have to be given detention for unsportsmanlike behavior. Not to mention reckless endangerment. He had a feeling the Stilinski kid would have gone all the way to the top if the Reyes girl hadn't panicked about halfway up.

Finstock was impressed with the moves on the kid to get the girl back down on the ground. He supposed he should also be proud of the kid for looking out for another student, and he was. But he still would have liked to see the kid go all the way to the top As it was after Reyes he had to call a halt because the class was about to end for the day.

He had pulled everyone off the wall and directed them over to the side. Where they were helping each other get out of the harnesses and turning them back in at the table where he sat, checking them off on his clipboard as they were returned and checked and put into a box.

That's when it had happened, someone shouted "Erica," he thought it might have been McCall. He had felt his chest sink in on itself as he looked up at the wall and there was Reyes, half way up the wall. No spotter, no security line, and no safety, he knew he shouldn't have but he panicked. "Reyes get back down here!"

Although he was sure she had heard him, hell half the school had probably heard him, the girl had ignored him and continued to climb. The teenagers stayed clear of the mat as he had told them to do at the beginning of the class. Apparently it didn't stop them from calling up to her. Some cheered or shouted encouragement, while other jeered and called her a freak.

Still Reyes climbed and was three-fourths of the way up the climbing wall when it happened. She hesitated, that was all it took and before anyone else could do anything Vernon Boyd was on the mat, running. Good grief the kid was fast and thank heavens for that. He caught Reyes and eased her to the mat. He yelled for someone to call 911, even as he watched Erica seize uncontrollably.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N~ Suicidal thoughts and ideations in here if you squint. Let's face it to a certain point you have to be a little suicidal to be a bitten werewolf because of the potential for death. So there's the warning for that. Spoiler alert: this is Erica getting the bite and a bit of conversation between Chris and Stiles. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. Keep it up. Sorry for the lateness but been doing a lot of running this week, but here it is.~A**

**Chapter 27**

Erica woke to the sound of her mother crying hysterically and her father arguing at the top of his lungs no less with the doctor. When her doctor was actually yelling back and she was able to recognize his voice she knew it was bad.

She remembered she had been close to the top, she had looked up and the top had been so close then she had felt the tell tale indicators of a seizure and for just a split second had hoped that this might be the one that killed her. Then nothing, until now.

Slowly and carefully she started with her toes and worked her way up. A few bruises she guessed around the backs of her legs, her shoulders, and ribs. Her head had the usual post seizure muzzy achey feel to it. She had an IV in her left arm but no other things like oxygen her head was unwrapped so she hadn't cracked her skull on the gym floor.

Erica was pleasantly surprised no broken bones post seizure and after a fall like that. She was sure she was going to be dead, and then she remembered wishing this would be the one that would kill her and this after fighting her parents to be normal just the other night.

Her eyes closed and she relaxed into sleep again. She wasn't worried she was frequently tired after seizures. It was a common after effect according to the doctor. Surprisingly one of her parents wasn't at her bedside at the moment. It was later in the evening, probably night time because dim light from the street lamps were seeping through the window blinds.

When she reached for the call button to see if she could get something to eat, a voice from the darkness said, "Don't." She would deny it of course but she actually squeaked.

Then a familiar form stepped out of the shadowy corner of the room. "Stiles, you gave me a heart attack," she said a little breathlessly.

"What do you think you did to me this morning?" the teen said in equal measure. "Did you forge your parents signature on the permission slip?" he asked her boldly, looking into her eyes.

"No, I did not." she said angrily. "My mom signed it, on her own. The coach didn't put down that it would be rock climbing. He just put P.E. activity, none of us even knew what it was going to be until we got there today."

She scooted up in the bed making room for the boy who crawled up onto the foot of the bed and sat cross legged facing the blond. "Don't ask me to be sorry about what I did. I want to be normal, Stiles, more than anything."

"What's normal?" Stiles laughed and it freaked Erica out just a bit when someone else chuckled from that darkened corner.

Stiles shook his head and said, "What I mean is, if I told you there was a treatment that could get rid of your epilepsy. It's dangerous and you could just as easily die from the cure. There are dangers, things that will try to kill you, but if it works you'll be healthier, faster, stronger and never alone again." Stiles shook his head and turned to the corner, "You know you should be doing this, you can probably explain it better than me."

"Oh, I don't know I think you explained it pretty well. What do you thin Ms. Reyes?" As he spoke he came out of the darkness, and he was gorgeous, taller than Stiles, with darker hair, cheekbones that could probably cut glass, scruff and eyes that were changing from sour apple green to red even as she watched.

Then Erica remembered he had asked a question, "I think he explained okay but I still have questions. Are you…you aren't like the devil or something are you?"

Stiles laughed as the older man pouted slightly, "There's my Cat Woman." He said affectionately.

Erica's eyes widened as she said, "I remember that. I had forgotten we used to call each other Batman and Cat Woman when we were younger. Then she looked at the bearded man who was watching the two of them affectionately. Then she focused and realized it wasn't the two of them it was mostly Stiles.

"Ok, so he's your boyfriend and not the devil but then what is he?" Erica asked curiously.

"You remember the stories about werewolves, witches and other things that go bump in the night. Mostly it's all real, Derek is my boyfriend and a werewolf." Stiles said with a smile over his shoulder for the older man, "If he bites you, and if it takes, you would become a werewolf like him." Then the smile fell from his face as he added seriously, "If it doesn't take properly, you could die."

"But if it does take I could get better, right?" Erica asked hopefully. "If it doesn't take though, I'll die."

"Yes," said Derek.

"And, if we don't do anything I'll probably be dead within six months." Erica explained thoughtfully. "Yes I want to do this. What do we have to do?"

"I have to bite you, it will hurt you but once the wolf settles., you'll heal fairly quickly but it will leave a scar. Stiles is going to stay. He can't watch though," he smiled and leaned in closer to Erica as if imparting a secret, "He's scared at the sight of blood,"

"So he's going to hold my hand while you bite me," Erica asked and she was smiling and not as nervous, which was the intention of the story in the first place.

Derek replied honestly, "Actually he's here for both of us. Sometimes it's easier when he's around. It helps me focus."

"That makes sense, because he's like your mate, right?" Erica responded and smiled at the pair.

"Told you she catches on quick," Stiles said easily as he held Erica's hand.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was running through the woods in gym shorts and his tank top. It was relaxing for him and also helped him keep up with the other wolves in the pack. He liked to play up to Coach Finstock that he was "the weakest link" but the others in the Pack knew the truth.

He did this frequently when he was trying to work out a problem or doing some of his deep thinking. He was actually doing some of that deep thinking now. He had been having some odd dreams lately, possibly precognitive, except there were also part of them that seemed to be from the past. He was trying to figure out what parts of the dreams to take seriously, and what parts to ignore.

It actually took him a few seconds to realize he was actually about to enter a danger zone. Someone was in the woods who wasn't a wolf. Stiles slowed to a trot, even he wasn't really sure when it had happened, but lately he seemed to have developed a wolves well-defined sense of territory.

Then he recognized the invader as Chris Argent. From the expression on the hunters face he was probably doing the same thing as Stiles, having deep thoughts just at a slower pace than the Spark.

Stiles managed to make his way around the older man without being detected and headed to a rock outcrop near a bend in the trail. He climbed up the side of the rock and carefully send out a pulse of energy like a bat would use it's echo location. In this case his effort to get a fix on the hunter he had passed also showed him a cave under the outcropping.

He determined to check out the cave at a later time, while he waited for Argent to come around the corner. He pulled his legs close to his chest. The position made him a smaller target and also projected an image of child-like innocence. This was a hunter after all, their instincts were to shoot first and ask questions later.

Stiles really didn't want to get shot but he did want, no need to see where the hunter's mind was at, now that he had a mate and two daughters to care for. He waited for the man to come around he and the outcropping, and get a few more feet down the trail before saying, "I'd say a penny for your thoughts, but with inflation and the seriousness of your expression I'd say they're closer to two bucks and I only have seventy-five cents in my pocket. So yeah, that's a little disappointing."

Stiles watched as Chris Argent whirled around and reached for the gun at his back only to blanch at who he had almost taken a shot at. "You know it's bad if a hunter is jumpy," Stiles said with a sharp little smile.

"So as I said, deep thoughts." Stiles said as he ran along the ridge of the outcropping and landed in front of the older man with barely a whisper of sound. "How is your wife doing, or is it ex-wife now?" Stiles actually knew the answer but he figured that was a good place to start if he wanted to get the hunter talking about what was bothering him.

"The divorce is still in the court system although I'm told that because we actually have witnesses to her trying to kill our daughter, there shouldn't be a problem. She has already been committed for an initial six weeks psych eval. After which they have said, if she is determined to be mentally unstable, she will be committed to a facility for the criminally insane."

"Yeah, that's kind of deep thoughts," Stiles agreed as he thought about Allison and how she must feel about her own mother trying to kill her.

Argent offered, "That wasn't actually what I was thinking of though."

"Oh?" Stiles asked leadingly.

Now realizing what the younger man was trying to do the older man smirked. "Actually I was just thinking about how the things we thought we knew can change so quickly.

"Like how you go from having one daughter and one set of thoughts and sorry for saying it but a bitch for a wife to having a different set of rules, two daughters and a werewolf for a mate." Stile offered helpfully with a smile.

"Actually that wasn't really what I was thinking about either. Well only the part about Peter and the girls." he said and a distance came to his eyes along with a little glint of happiness.

Stiles was pleased, and decided to push his luck, "So are you all cohabitating yet?"

"Boundaries Mr. Stilinski, boundaries. No we are not, not yet anyway. Although with the girls sleeping over at one or the others every other night they may as well be." Argent said, "And before you ask because I know you will, Peter and I are taking it slow. For both our sakes and the sake of the girls." he said in a perfectly logical tone of voice, that sounded quite reasonable. Until you looked at his face which was pink with his blush and his ears were practically glowing a lovely rose color.

"As I said though that is not the only thing I'm thinking about," the hunter reminded thoughtfully.

They had actually made it to the next turning point in the path that ran along the perimeter of the Preserve. Stiles was still running in place occasionally to try and keep his pulse rate up. "Ok I give up, what is it that has you wondering about the changeability of the world."

"The man I've had to consider as my enemy for so long, is now my lover again, a Pack I considered as potential allies are now becoming my family. The leader of said Pack, someone I considered as potentially vengeful is actually becoming a friend." He said as he took the turn that would lead him out of the Preserve instead of further down the path that Stiles was running.

"A boy I once considered as someone who was annoying at best and a nuisance at worst is fast becoming one of the most dangerous people I know," Argent said seriously but with a grim smile on his face, "and that is I'm certain without knowing half of the things that he can do. So yes Stiles, deep thoughts."

Stiles stopped running and stared after the man as he disappeared into the woods and finally shouted after him, "Wait, did you just pay me a compliment?"

When no answer came he repeated, "Argent did you just compliment me?"

When there was still no answer he started to trot down the path and finally a grin broke out on his face and he said, "Yeah that was a compliment," Before he accelerated back to his former speed and continued his run through the woods.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N~ Talia being witchy in a bad way, Stiles being witchy in a good way and a Pack Mom. Also the beginning of Season 2. Hope everybody is still enjoying this. Read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 28**

John Stilinski let himself into his house tiredly. It had been a long shift, the discovery of a body at the high school swimming pool had been a disturbing one. The body had been literally a bloody mess. The only reason his shoes and uniform were still clean was because he had borrowed coveralls and shoe covers from the coroner.

The poor guy was a bit out of his depth considering he was a dermatologist. He had finally resorted to using a shovel, newly purchased and sterilized from the local hardware store, to recover the remains. Ziploc and garbage bags were filled and put into the body bags.

The poor guy at this point still couldn't definitively say that it was just one body. The Sheriff didn't need to ask him if the death was accidental, suicide or homicide. Anything that messy wasn't an accident, suicide was out too since they couldn't really determine what had killed him yet, just that it was messy. Because it was messy and rather spread out Eric also couldn't determine if the body was intact, as in any body parts missing.

He saw the note on the fridge and went over to have a look.

Dad,

Called Tara about 1 am. She said it was a bad one, but that you'd be home soon. Made you a couple of chicken salad sandwiches, some salsa flavored multi grain chips and a kale salad. Two beers max and no hard stuff. You'll need your focus if it's that bad.

There's also fresh squeezed lemonade if you prefer. Ms. Talbot gave me a whole bagful of lemons from her trees.

Homework is done. Did two lawns today and have another scheduled for Saturday.

Pack meeting tomorrow, we're doing barbecue if you want to come over. If not Diana has promised to feed you on me. I'm probably meditating or already asleep.

Luv u,

Stiles

P.S. Put 80 more in the account.

The Sheriff grumbled, "Kale? Your Mom used to plant that in the front yard as an ornamental thing." He pulled the two covered dishes out of he fridge as well as the two beers. He sat at the counter, the dining table was currently covered in files from work that he was working on. Going into the living room would be a mistake he would turn the TV on and still be there when Stiles came down for school tomorrow.

The sandwich was actually very good, with the bread toasted to perfection and the chicken was moist, the chips were actually crispy and had a great flavor. He had to admit even the kale salad was pretty damned good, it had pecans, tomatoes, and cheese. He actually didn't drink the second beer, opting instead for the fresh squeezed lemonade. As he cleaned up after himself he thought he heard someone talking. Concerned he finished up quickly and headed up the stairs. Sure enough it was Stiles voice, he seemed to be having a one sided conversation with someone.

"No, no death. There will be blood, a little alcohol. A minimum of maiming. No only a little alcohol. Because you're bad enough on your own, you drunk….don't even want to know how that could turn out. No those are not sacrifices to you, and you will not accept them."

Giving a perfunctory knock, the Sheriff let himself into his son's room. Stiles was sitting on the floor, in the center of a circular rug. There was a single fat white candle sitting in front of him, lit. The teens legs were crossed in front of him, in a meditative pose. His eyes were closed, as John watched his son leaned his head to one side, then the other, to the accompaniment of popping and cracking.

Stiles eyes opened and he had a look on his face that was extremely peaceful as he asked, "How'd you like your dinner?"

His dad responded easily enough, "It was great, loved the lemonade. Who were you talking to?"

Stiles tilted his head to the side and asked seriously, "You sure you want to know? You kinda of looked a little freaked when you found out about some of the supernatural stuff. This is more of that so just warning you."

His father made his way across the room to Stiles bed and sat on the edge. "Let's hear it." The older man said as he stretched a little trying to work the kinks out of his overworked body.

Stiles shrugged his own shoulders, "It's called the Nemeton, it's a magic tree. Yeah I know. Do you remember those stories about Thor and Odin, Loki and Yggsdrail." His dads grandparents had come from the old country so the stories of the Norse gods were very popular in their family. When his father nodded his head Stiles continued.

"Think of the Nemeton as a baby Yggsdrail, All of the magical power, none of the control. Whenever they named Beacon Hills they named it after the Nemeton. It's the Beacon that keeps summoning all of the supernatural badness here. That's why the Hales are here, they're the defenders, the protectors of all of the residents, inhabitants of the area. The protect the humans and other supernaturals from the evil that comes to try to get that power."

"The conversation was between the tree and me, to keep it from absorbing the energy the bad guys keep feeding it, I promised to give it positive energy instead." Stiles explained plainly as he remained seated on the floor

"Wait," his father said as his eyebrows went up in realization, "are you saying that what happened at the pool tonight. That was probably supernatural?

"According to the Nemeton, yes." Stiles replied. "Though, not specifically a sacrifice to the Nemeton because it was violent and deliberate and bloody. The Nemeton accepted or was going to accept it as a sacrifice until I convinced it otherwise." Stiles looked at his father and saw the man was still listening. "Want me to keep going?"

His father looked thoughtful and asked, "So Derek is the Alpha, the leader of the Pack." At his son's nod, he added in a little snaky tone, "Complete with leather jacket, all he needs now is a motorcycle." At his sons confusion, John just waved away his last statement and said, "Before your time," which of course made the Sheriff feel really old.

"Then come the Betas?" his father asked.

"Yeah, right now he has three that he has bitten and another that was bitten by someone else. He is now part of Derek's Pack because his own…Creator, Progenitor, piss-poor Alpha, whatever, abandoned him in the woods. Then we have Lydia, banshee, and Danny hacker. Danny's grandmother is a kind of a medicine woman though, so his family is now also Pack and there's quite a few of them. Cora and Peter are no longer part of the Hale Pack. Now they're part of the Beacon Hills Pack. Chris and Allison are both Hunters. Malia is a were-coyote. Scott and his mom aren't officially Pack but they are under the Pack's protection. Mary and you too."

"Who are the Beta's?" his dad asked thoughtfully.

Stiles looked out the window for a minute before he answered his father, "Vernon Boyd, Issac Lahey, Erica Reyes and Jackson Whittemore. I guess Cora, Peter and Malia are too. Plus they're part of the family so…."

His father looked a little overwhelmed so Stiles decided to change the subject. "Anyway back to the tree, it's sentient and it's starting to grow back. With all the death and darkness that's been fed into it. Kind of trying to turn it around so that by the time it finally gets back to full size, it doesn't go on a killing rampage against the humans who cut it down. Not sure I can pull off that much goodness and light in a year but I'm going to try."

"Stiles I know you may not have your mom's green thumb or knowledge but trees don't become fully grown in a year." his father advised gently.

"_This one does," _Stiles said ominously.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles spoke quickly as he nearly ran to keep up with the man, "So we need to have the blood by the twenty first, and we or at least the more human of us will donate some to the blood bank to replace it."

"Stiles," Peter hissed in warning, looking around to see if anyone was listening in. When he was fairly certain that no one had overheard, he took the teen by the arm and led him to a nearby office before closing the door.

"At some point in your life, someone did actually explain what secrets and secrecy mean, and how that works?" Peter asked a little hostilely, "As in one trying to keep a secret doesn't usually blab about it in front of the general public?"

Stiles had the good grace to look sheepish as he said, "Yeah sorry about that, just want everything to be right for the ceremony. So has she invited you to the Wolf Moon Reunion yet?"

Peter smiled a little sadly, "My sister is still not willing to accept my _choices_ in life." He said with a little laugh, as he shook his head.

Stiles had heard the sorrow in Peter's voice though, and he was angry. Ok so Peter was a creeper sometimes, he was still a member of the Pack, and nobody messed with his family. He walked down the meat section of the market and was suddenly inspired.

"The full moon is what, in a week and a half? I have an idea. Why don't we have our own celebration for the Wolf Moon? I mean we still have a lot of family of the Pack members who haven't met each other. Why don't we have a barbecue, on the day of the full moon. You think everyone has enough control to handle an afternoon with their families?" he asked seriously.

Peter who had been helping Derek train the new werewolves, nodded his head thoughtfully. "Jackson has learned to control his temper and has calmed considerably, Issac was the one who had surprisingly the easiest time of controlling himself. Which considering his background is impressive. Yes I think the baby wolves will show themselves and the Pack quite admirably," Peter said proudly.

"Good, need to get a head count, kind of a little short on time, but I think with a little help we can pull it together. First problem, where should we have it?" Stiles said as he pulled his phone out and started scrolling through it. "Can't have it at the Preserve obviously and while we have had a lot of progress at the loft we're still nowhere near ready for a party involving a bunch of people.

"Stiles it takes Talia six weeks to prepare for the Wolf Moon Reunion," Peter explained regretfully.

"Yeah well Talia Hale didn't have a Lydia Martin or a Mary Spenser to help her, now did she?" Stiles said with a grin as he pressed a contact and put the phone to his ear.

Peter had to admit the teens enthusiasm was infectious. Before they finished their trip to the store, the boy had arranged for all of the meat to be ordered with the backup of Peter's credit card, Mary was going to have them use her home which was well on it's way to being completed.

She even agreed to rent the tables and chairs they would need for the get together. Lydia agreed to get together several barbecue grills and had several of the rest of the pack who had agreed to work on food prep while she herself would be working on decorations with Allison and Mary. All before they even left the store. Stiles may not have been an Alpha but he was instinctively a leader and strategist.

The Pack was his army and they were being whipped into a highly organized and well trained army. Before this little impromptu meeting in the market, the Sheriff had come to their last Pack meeting something that hadn't happened really since their first Pack meeting.

The older man had agreed, see demanded, that the group as a whole be trained in hand to hand and weapons training. Weapons were something werewolves didn't usually deal with guns, to which the Sheriff had retorted sharply, "Which is probably why you guys are becoming extinct?"

"My son and his friends are becoming involved with this now though. So things are gong to change. All of you will learn how to use guns, knives, grenades, whatever it takes to keep you alive and safe. Any questions?" When even Derek had looked appropriately attentive, the Sheriff seemed satisfied. The next week the lessons had started. That was when the Sheriff and his son had handed out paintball guns.

The paintball war that ensued was not only impressive but very telling as the father-son team of the Sheriff and his son were the victors. Apparently the mock battle also showed the Sheriff what the group needed to work on.

Stiles had watched as the Sheriff then proceeded to correct the Pack on their stances and so forth and had said very proudly, "That's my dad!"


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N~ So the first part is the night of the Paint Ball War and the later part is closer to the Reunion…if there's not a War first. Typical teen relationship angst, hurt/comfort, and a little supernatural thrown in for good measure. Hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to leave a review. ~A**

**Chapter 29**

Lydia was tired, and despite the extra long hot shower she had taken was still sore from the paintball war. She was also certain that despite washing her hair three times she still had paint in her strawberry blond tresses. Stiles had warned her that she might want to braid her hair and she had given him a scathing once over and said in her best sweeter than sugar voice, "I don't think I need fashion advice from you, Stiles." Lydia realized as she combed through her wet hair to see if any loose paint would come out, maybe she didn't know everything about fashion and how it applied to warfare.

She had found surprisingly that she was actually a good shot and even better with knives. When the sheriff had asked her if she had ever taken ballet, she had at first thought that the older man was going to either be offensive about her upscale life or call her a prima donna. Instead when Stiles had actually answered for her that had taken ballet when they were younger, she wondered how he knew that.

Honestly she didn't know how her classmate knew all these things about her, when she barely knew anything about him. She knew he was the sheriffs son, his mother had died when he was ten, he was a hyperactive spazz most of the time, he was a genius who hid it well, and he was Scott McCall's best friend. She could count all the things she knew about Stiles on one hand. Yet he knew she had taken ballet, what did that say about her.

The Sheriff had dug around in the bag he had brought, and pulled out a pair of knifes, he explained these were only practice knives he had used when he was younger and if she liked them he could order her a pair. Chris Argent had come a little late with Malia and Allison in tow and had watched their mock battle. He had offered to get the knives if Lydia liked them because he could usually get them very inexpensively as an arms dealer.

The knives are called kukuri lades. The blades were shaped strangely and reminded her of leaves. They were easy to work with though, she only made one mistake for which she was scolded. It was the gentlest scold she had ever received and yet because it came from John Stilinski, she listened, "Never do that again. The knife missed Scott's head by a mere inch, if you had actually hit him with a sharpened blade…werewolf healing be damned he'd still be dead."

"You never throw a knife at anyone. You can practice on a target till you have that down then we'll set you up a moving target. For now keep it in your hand until you know how to do that well. Then we'll worry about throwing them. You also don't throw away a perfectly good weapon, an empty gun, put it away. Don't want any eight year olds picking it up later now do we?"

Later Lydia asked Stiles how he knew she used to dance, he reminded her that "I have been in your room Lydia. You have pictures of you in costume and trophies, all over the place."

"Your dad asked me about the dancing, but why?" Lydia asked a little frustrated.

"Cause that's a skill that comes in handy when you're working with a knife. I'm okay with it when it comes to knives though it's usually a last resort because I can barely move without tripping over my own feet." he said with a shrug and a smirk. "Not that you would ever do something as clumsy as that Queen Bee."

"Excuse me?" Lydia asked a little waspishly, Did you just call me Queen Bee?"

"Well yeah," said Stiles as if it were obvious, "You are the Queen of Beacon Hills High after all. Despite what any Junior or Senior girls might think."

"Really Stiles, I hate labels," Lydia snipped lifting her chin slightly.

"Yes, unless they're designer or Genius!" Stiles said with a smile as he raised his voice on the end of genius and stuck his forefinger in the air with a flourish.

Jackson had snorted and said, "He's got you there, Lyds."

Lydia seemed to ponder this and with a nod agreed, "I like it." Stiles had merely given a whoop of pleasure and gone back to training.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Later in the week, but before the Pack Reunion: **Beyond the Olympic sized swimming pool and behind the tennis courts, Jackson was setting up the targets. Okay yes he was cheating a little and using werewolf strength, but he was doing this by himself for the moment. Then he heard Allison and Scott arguing as they pulled up in Scott's moms car.

Jackson groaned, "Why did she have to bring him?" he said under his breath as he finished up and went to the front of the house. His parents were once again out of town on business and the housekeeper was out shopping. He heard the doorbell ring and whenever no one answered within 15 seconds, he heard someone (i.e. McCall} proceeded to lean on the doorbell. "Prick."

He used his werewolf speed to get around the house cause really could McCall be anymore annoying. He leaned against the corner of the house and watched Allison lean against the corner of the house as the pair argued about Scott being a jerk.

"She's right you're being a jerk. Nobody is in the house, I've got us set up around back." he said before turning and leading them back around to where he had everything set up. He had even set up the little iron café table with a cooler of sandwiches and an ice bucket with water and sodas. "Sorry there's only two chairs but I was only expecting Allison." Jackson said with surprising sincerity

"Yeah, I'll bet you were," Scott said under his breath.

"So snacking first or shall we get started?" Jackson asked Allison, ignoring Scott for the moment.

"Well I had lunch before I left the house, so if you'd like we can get started right now," Allison suggested.

"Sounds good," Jackson said, and then handed a bow to the girl. "Thanks for letting me borrow that, but you were right, my reach is too long for this bow."

Then he reached into a padded bow case and brought out a slightly larger bow. "Got this one the other day, actually the guy did like fifteen measurements to find the right one. I don't think I get measured this much for a suit." the lacrosse captain said with a laugh.

He pretended not to hear Scott say, "Probably cost as much too." He saw Allison stiffen though so he knew he wasn't the only one who had heard the remark.

"I've been practicing with it a bit, still trying to get the pull right though." he continued.

"Let's take a few practice shots and see how your stance looks first and then we'll work on your pull," Allison said cheerfully as she turned Jackson to the targets. He could practically feel something going on between the two behind his back, but he didn't turn to look.

What ensued was a rather pleasant hour and a half of stance and form correction. Another fifteen minutes of adjustments on the bow and then another short exercise in how to use the bow for self defense when you were either out of arrows or your target was too close for the arrows.

Jackson wasn't ashamed to admit he found that educational. Like most of the group he had considered Allison an archers extraordinaire but hadn't really seen her use her hand to hand combat skills too much. Luckily for them it hadn't been necessary yet. She was really very good though, Jackson could actually smell the jealousy coming off of McCall though. He had been practicing with a few suggestions from Derek on reading emotions through scent.

He couldn't really care less but he was trying to be a second to Derek. That meant getting along with members of the Pack. He liked Allison and she was Pack and although Scott's mom, a wonderful lady, was definitely Pack the ungrateful friend of Stiles was an Omega at best, not to mention annoying as crap sometimes. Like right now.

Jackson was trying to get Allison to show him a move she had demonstrated on Derek that had ended with the Alpha on his ass at their last practice session. She was trying but Scott had started whining about being ready to go home. The Beta had actually heard Allison huff under his breath, as this wasn't the first time for the whining to come out of Scott's mouth.

First the table was in the sun and therefore too hot. Jackson doing his best to be the courteous host had then moved the entire table and contents to the shade of a couple of nearby trees. Then the teen had complained about bugs. After Jackson had once again moved the table to another location, the teen had complained about not being able to see what they were doing.

The Beta actually thought he had heard Allison's teeth grind at that one and now this latest complaint in thirty minutes. He was actually thinking of wolfing out I frustration as he and Allison were actually working well together. Learning things about each others fighting styles.

Instead the young lady actually growled under her breath and almost stomped over to McCall and said through clenched teeth, "Don't let me keep you then. I told you that Jackson and I would be several hours. We're not done yet, if you want to leave go ahead. I'm sure that Jackson being the exceptionally nice host that he has been wouldn't mind taking me home or I could call…"

"No, I'd be more than happy to take you home," Jackson offered helpfully and didn't miss the glare that McCall sent him. At this point the didn't care and didn't bother to hide his smirk from the other teen. "Bye Scott." Normally he might say, "Nice to have you or something like that, but he didn't really want to waste the energy lying.

Instead he went back to the level area they were using for practice and worked by himself on the move Allison had been teaching him. He didn't listen in to what was surely going to be a heated conversation between the pair. One he respected Allison too much for such a thing. Two Stiles was right he hadn't been a douche until he discovered his family wasn't really his family. Now he had a real family, true McCall was the annoying cousin who you want to find a deep dark hole to put him in, but still.

It did make him wonder sometimes, how the Pack mom put up with the other boy. He wondered if long term proximity made you immune to the teens more annoying qualities. He glanced over to the other boy as he stretched a few kinks out, and was tempted to listen in as the boy was gesturing at him. He decided against it as he took his bow back out of its case and worked with it to figure out some defensive moves of his own.

Then he realized what he had thought about Stiles, as Pack Mom and rolled the thought around in his head. It felt right though, it felt…natural. As natural as the lithe werewolf coming over the rise from his house with a feral look in her eye. She was coming in the opposite direction of the arguing couple.

She saw them and rolled her eyes as she walked toward him. Giving the pair a wide berth as she smiled at him, "Hey."

"Hi," he said breathlessly.

"Can you take a break?" she asked indicating the bow in his hands.

"Think I already am," he said with a smirk as he indicated the arguing pair with a tilt of his head. "There's some water and a couple of sandwiches left, if you'd like something."

"Water would be nice," Cora said with a shy smile. Jackson quickly put his bow back in the case and with a hand at her lower back guided her to the little table. He joined her pulling out one of the bottles of water for himself. He hadn't really realized how thirsty he was.

He found himself halfway through the bottle before he realized how Cora was studying him. He became a little self conscious and asked, "What?" with an embarrassed smile.

She giggled and took a blade of grass out of his hair. "Would it be safe to say that our hunter has taken you down at least once today?"

He smiled in return as he flopped down in one of the chairs and said self deprecatingly, "Oh more than once and it was more like I was a soccer ball and she was Germany and Brazil all rolled into one. Thank goodness for werewolf healing."

She grinned again and said, "It does have its perks."

"So tell me," Jackson said, and then explained, "about some of the perks I mean. I know about strength, speed, agility. I already kind of had a little better than average I think. Heightened senses and healing are a plus that frankly I'm still getting used to. Figuring out how to control it is a bit of a challenge but I'm working on it, desperately."

"Trust me, hearing your adoptive parents having sex from all the way across the house?" He gave a very real full body shudder, "Yeah not something I want to repeat anytime soon. Never if I could, would be ideal."

Cora's laughter actually distracted the other couple from their argument for a moment, but she and Jackson had forgotten all about the other pair by this time, "Well there is a way to avoid situations like that or at least stop them before they get too far. But to answer your other questions, one of my favorites is you can see the bonds between you and other pack members."

"It takes concentration and is a bit harder on the human members but if you get into a meditative state you can see them and if you're really good at it, you can either follow it or tell where they are." she said enthusiastically.

"I can see where that would be useful," Jackson nodded thoughtfully, still smiling just because, "But how do you get into a meditative state?"

"Well it happens naturally of course when you're just about to fall asleep. Getting into the state without falling asleep is just a matter of being in a relaxed state and concentrating on your heartbeat and breathing and then you just look inward. Find your inner wolf and out from him is the bond." Cora continued animatedly.

"It's going to look like a rope and the thickness of the cord depends on the strength of the bond. Most of your bonds are still gonna be kind of weak because you're just starting out in the Pack but they will get stronger as time passes. Also different colors mean different things and some people are going to have different bonds than others in the Pack." she said thoughtfully.

"Like what for instance?" Jackson asked curiously. He knew he was in trouble when even her thoughtful, brow wrinkled expression was cute. Well like when you can do it you may have more than one Alpha connection. Alpha connections are red. In your case one for my sister and one for Derek."

"And one for Stiles," he said absently. Instantly he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

She looked at him curiously and said, "No Stiles isn't even a werewolf so he can't be an Alpha."

"Maybe not an Alpha per say but he is the Pack Mom." when he saw her still hesitate he continued, "Think about it Cora, he pulled it together. He wants to make sure we have the strength, support and protection we need. If that's not a Pack Mom what is?"

"Ok fine, let's see," she said and closed her eyes and a deep breath escaped through her lips. Several minutes passed and Jackson began to get worried, he hadn't asked enough questions. Like what if someone got stuck out there, in there. How do you get someone back if they do get stuck.

Then he noticed something even more terrifying Cora was barely breathing. He nudged her slightly thinking, no hoping that she had merely fallen asleep. After all she had said that the best time for this meditation was when you were about to fall asleep.

He nearly shrieked when she fell out of the chair. He screamed for Allison and Scott. He was gratified when they came running, and tried to explain what was going on. Allison helped check her pulse and said, "Scott call your Mom."

"No, call Deaton," Jackson said as he whined softly deep in his throat.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Cora had to work around the web that was her and her brothers connections to various Pack members. She basically had to work back through her brother to get down to figuring out which bond was Jackson's.

She finally figured it out, because he did indeed have a total of three Alpha bonds. She went down the weakest bond thinking that would be the one Jackson claimed was Stiles. She nearly choked when she found this Alpha bond actually belonged to her sister

She turned to go back and found a manifestation of her sister blocking her way. "I thought I felt someone. Fancy meeting you here, sister."

Her sister was a dark red ghost like figure, smiling at her in an unpleasant way. Cora actually felt a chill of fear go down her spine, as he sister began circling her in a move the werewolf in her recognized all too well as being stalked.

"Now why would you be here?" her sister asked rhetorically as she continued to herd Cora away from her exit back along the bond to Jackson. "You're with him aren't you? My missing little beta, you know where he is, don't you?"

Suddenly claws lashed out and sunk into her shoulder and she screamed, the claws burned like acid and she felt something strange happening. Her body felt like it was burning alive but it also felt heavy and as if her tongue were thick and her mind felt equally heavy and odd, until the only thing holding her up were Laura's claws.

She remembered this sensation she had gone missing for several hours and when her mother had finally found her Cora had been too young to explain what had happened so despite her fathers protest that she was too young her mother had used her claws to access Cora's memories. Her sister was trying to use that method somehow in the in-between state to access her memories. She fought.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Deaton wasn't answering. "Call my mom," Scott shouted as Cora began having what looked to him like one of Erica's seizures. Only werewolves didn't have seizures wasn't that pretty much the main reason that Erica took the bite. To stop the seizures.

Jackson yelled, "She's a werewolf, Scott. Your Mom doesn't know enough about werewolves yet! Call Derek!"

Allison quickly went through the contacts on her phone only to realize she had never programmed his number into her phone. She did have Stiles number though and called it as the two boys tried to keep Cora away from the metal furniture as she seized.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"You will obey," her sister commanded using her Alpha voice, "You will tell me where my Beta is?"

Laura had shoved her to her knees as the claws n her shoulder pierced the tissue under her collar bone. Cora felt someone take her hand and she suddenly felt strength wash through her.

She looked up at her sister from under her brows and said, "Why do you want him so much?"

"Oh I don't, but I don't want Derek to claim him either. Now where is he?!" Laura demanded.

"You're too late Derek has already claimed him…and me…Peter as well. And by the way Mom knows about Jackson, they told her." Cora said and shrieked as her sister snapped her collar bone. A dark figure was suddenly beside her as Laura went flying into the darkness of this other world.

A face that was Stiles and wasn't, with hollow eyes. A shadowy fox, and a hand on her good shoulder, "Go home, Cora."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Cora woke up on the ground under the setting sun. Trees swayed over her head and she was screaming even as she was waking up. Jackson had his arms wrapped around her waist. Scott was wrapping her shoulder up with a dressing made from both his and Jackson's t-shirts. Allison was holding her hand and they were all talking, her brother was yelling as he ran across the lawn toward them, and Stiles wasn't there.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N~ Warning: Graphic images of violence and self harm (even if it is unintentional self harm). Language is also a potential issue. Rated T as usual. Had a little trouble with the server earlier in the week, luckily it seems to be working now. Due to the holiday posting may come out a little later than usual. That being said hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. As always read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 30**

Laura rose to her feet and looked around, she felt the rage take her when she noticed that Cora was missing. "Cora!" she roared. Then laughed in a slightly unhinged kind of way, "Well, you have to sleep sometime." she turned to head back down her tether only to find her path blocked.

"Yes, but by that time, you and I will have come to an understanding, or you will no longer be a problem." said a vaguely familiar voice as she suddenly found herself on her ass again about twenty feet away. The body which didn't look human went straight up in the air and was suddenly straddling her prone form.

"You hurt your sister, not for the information you could gain about your Beta, but mostly because you wanted to. Your Beta's bond hasn't been severed with you yet, out of courtesy, after this it will be. Along with Cora and Peters. You could have found him any time you wanted to. That tells me you were just playing with your powers, trying to punish Cora for not choosing you. After this do you really wonder why they don't choose you?"

Laura was still trying to figure out what or who it was she was dealing with. The thing was a shadow surrounding a glowing fire, around something else. "Stay away from our Pack Laura Hale or I won't wait for your mother to muzzle you." Her claws extended and she sunk them into the left thigh of the thing standing over her.

The creature made no sound, as if he didn't even feel it and then she felt a sharp tearing in her own thigh and she screamed in rage and fear. She was struck again and again as she lay there with her claws imbedded in its thighs. The thing was the creature hadn't moved it was still standing there studying her like a bug under a microscope. She finally released her hold, as she was beginning to grow dizzy from blood loss.

"We are in your mind Laura, not mine you can't hurt me in your mind. Oh but I can hurt you. I suggest you remember that and stay away from our Pack." said that voice again.

Then she smelled it, this was a human. Humans weren't supposed to access the Pack bonds. "Go home Laura, come after what's mine again and I'll make certain you end up in Eichen House."

The would be Alpha found herself back in her room in the Hale House screaming her lungs out as she looked down at her own clawed hand trying to rip it's way through her partially amputated leg.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles woke up with a splitting headache and Issac standing over him, cell phone in hand, looking on the verge of a freak out. Well technically Issac wasn't standing over him, and then he remembered why the younger werewolf might be freaking out. He was in a circle of mountain ash and salt. Not like the younger wolf had any chance of getting through that. Then Stiles tasted the blood, ah that would explain the other part of the freak out.

He sat up putting his hand to his face, to find the blood pouring from his nose and said thickly, "Issac, would you mind getting me a cold cloth from the bathroom." The teen ducked into the en suite and Stiles heard the water running. Carefully he waved a hand which broke the circle as the dust blew aside.

Issac returned with the wet cloth and Stiles could practically feel the boy vibrating. Stiles cleaned his face even as he sent a small thread of power into the slight hemorrhage to stop the bleeding. Through the blood and cloth his voice was garbled as he asked, "Ok, other than Cora getting attacked by Laura in the otherworld. What else has happened?"

The blond looked a little stuck for words for a minute but said, "Derek wants you there like five minutes ago. Oh and your Dad left a message on the machine downstairs. There's been another attack or murder, your dad said he would be late and would pick something up for dinner from one of the diners."

Stiles groaned as he said, "Yeah I can just imagine. Fried, with an order of grease and fat on the side, and a sugar chaser of some kind." Stiles started to stand up and nearly crashed into the side of his bed as pain and a wave of dizziness swept over him. Issac caught him by the elbow with his free hand and pulled the desk chair over with his foot and made Stiles sit there for a few minutes.

The Spark continued to slowly clean his face when he heard something buzz and realized that Issac had tossed his phone on the bed and had left the room.

He thought he heard him rattling around in the fridge downstairs.

Issac came back into the room quickly and in one hand he held a hand towel wrapped around a small bag of peas, and a glass of orange juice. in the other. He took the wash cloth and using his forefinger to lift Stiles chin. He wiped a little more firmly to remove dried on blood from his cheek, then a little more carefully when he got closer to the Spark's nose.

He moved Stiles face around for a few seconds as he looked for spots of blood he may have missed. He walked back into the bathroom and ran the water a few more minutes and Stiles heard him rummaging through the cabinet to return with a couple of painkillers in his palm.

"Your going to make a fine husband and dad someday Issac," Stiles said gratefully as he swallowed the pills with the orange juice He finished the juice as Issac checked his phone and then sent a text off quickly before looking over at Stiles worriedly.

"We need to go. Cora is in trouble, she's over at Jackson's and so are several of the others." Issac said.

"Yeah I know, don't let me fall okay?" Stiles asked and the blond wolf nodded his head reassuringly. Talking Stiles arm he threw it over his shoulder as he helped maneuver the two of them down the narrow flight of stairs. When they got downstairs, Stiles held onto the hallway wall and asked Issac to bring two jars of glowing green liquid out of the fridge which Stiles shoved into his backpack before they headed outside.

He started to walk Stiles over to the passenger side of the Jeep and was stymied when Stiles dug his heels in and said, "Nobody drives my Baby but me."

"Ok," Issac said and shrugged off the shorter teens arm and stepped a couple of feet away. Stiles took a step and nearly toppled to the ground before Issac caught him and half dragged him now to the passenger side of the Jeep.

He opened the door to shove the shorter teen inside and buckle him into the seat Stiles said, "That was a dirty trick Issac."

"Rule of thumb, your rule of thumb by the way. If you can't stand up on your own, you can't drive. It's a good rule of thumb." The teen responded cheekily as he fished in his pocket for where he had tucked the keys. He put the Jeep in reverse and took off towards the Whittemore residence.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"You do realize these so called minor emergencies are becoming a common occurrence, right?" Stiles asked tiredly as he got out of the Jeep, and nearly face planted into the gravel parking area of the Whittemore estate.

Derek was suddenly there to support him. "Yep I need to be in a coma for a few days, if only someone would take over the planning of the picnic for me. Just kidding sour wolf?" he said as he patted Derek's scowling face as the Alpha led him back to the backyard. Issac trailed along behind the pair.

They came upon a rather strange sight, Scott and Allison were on opposite sides of the patio. The fire pit was blazing merrily and Jackson was sitting in a rather comfortable looking outdoor sofa with Cora in his lap. A luxurious looking throw wrapped around her as she shivered uncontrollably clearly in some form of shock.

Stiles reached into his backpack and pulled out the bottle of glowing green liquid and proceeded to feed it to his classmate. "Hey what the hell," as he reached u to knock it out of Stiles grip.

Derek grabbed his hand and growled at the teen, while Stiles said, "Trying to help her Jackson. This is a variation of a drink Mary taught me for Sparks and so forth. Think of it as Super Powered Gatorade for the supernatural. She's wounded, in pain and in shock. So basically wounded and traumatized she needs something, dude and I am so not after your girlfriend dude."

"No your after her brother," Issac offered enthusiastically.

Stiles couldn't be angry with the Beta as he seemed truly excited about the prospect of his Alpha having an actual mate that he didn't really seem to realize that he had outed their Alpha and the Sheriff's underage son.

Rather than respond to the outing Stiles decided to concentrate on Cora. Taking the other bottle out of his backpack. He began to guzzle down half of the contents before taking a breath. Derek suddenly came around to face Stiles and gave him the questioning eyebrows. How one person could have a whole language just from one, ok two rather small bushy parts of his anatomy, must be a Hale thing, Stiles decided.

When Stiles ignored the talking eyebrows, Derek used his words and asked, "Stiles?" Now with the monosyllables, Stiles thought a little grumpily.

"You will not attack," Stiles demanded. When Derek gave him the emotionally constipated look Stiles continued, "Fine, Cora was showing Jackson how to check Pack bonds when Laura found her and attacked her in the other world. Don't worry it won't happen again and Laura is regretting it right now. Now show Jackson how to pull pain, I have to set the bone and start the healing process."

"Jackson," he said it still took a moment for the lacrosse captain to actually pay attention to what the Spark was saying, "I have to set her arm you're going to have to help hold her while I do. Preferably without killing me, okay?"

The blonds eyes glowed gold for a moment when Stiles said that but he nodded his head, "Issac you're going to have to help draw the pain cause this is going to hurt, no matter how I do it." Stiles said.

He looked up sharply at Jackson and it clicked he recognized Jackson was protecting his mate. "Jackson, unless you want to leave it like it is and cripple her or knock her out so she doesn't feel it. This is how it has to be. So either shut up or do it yourself."

The partially shifted teen looked between the brunette he was holding and the Spark and then whined. Stiles did something so out of character that everyone in the area looked at him a little oddly, he reached out and touched Jackson's cheek and said, "I know cub and don't worry Laura is paying for what she did but she will be soon. Right now let me take care of your mate, ok?"

A nod of the head and Stiles expertly ran fingers gently over the bone and then with a quick snap the bone was back in place. Cora convulsed with a shocked cry that was closer to a howl and writhed for a few minutes in Jackson's lap as his Beta face contorted in rage and pain and tears ran down his face. He held her as Issac and Derek drew her pain. Stiles took several bottles out of his bag and began mixing hem into a small jar that already had a clear ointment in it.

Allison came and knelt beside him on the ground holding Cora's and as she asked quietly, "Will it bother you if I ask questions while you're working?"

Stiles startled slightly and then smiled at the huntress, "Not at all, it actually would be good if more than one of us knows how to create simple ointments and potions for healing. You guys don't have Sparks so it won't have the magic in it, but it can still ease pain, prevent infection and promote healing."

"This is a base ointment, about one and a half oz. I'll make each of you some later. For a wound healing ointment we're adding equal parts comfrey, calendula and St. John's Wort, in this case extracts although you could make an herbal tea with the actual herbs and steep it down. You add about 20 drops of each to the ointment and mix well." Stiles said as he carefully demonstrated.

"You want to be very thorough about this, so it has the liquid throughout the base. It will turn the ointment a slight brownish color, this doesn't mean it's gone bad. It should have a kind of flowery scent and you will need to keep it refrigerated." He spoke clearly so that everyone could hear him, while still concentrating on what he was doing.

When he was done he said, "Now the added oomph," as he rose to his knees and closed his eyes. He held his hands close to the jar for a few seconds, they saw his hands and the jar glow slightly. When he was done he rotated his neck slightly and winced when there was a resounding pop.

Walking on his knees he moved back over to where Jackson was still holding Cora protectively and began to apply the ointment gently to the areas where Laura's claws had sunk into her sisters flash and did a little grumbling of his own. Then realizing what he was doing he suddenly drew his hands away from Cora still coated in the ointment and shook his head.

He looked around at the members of his Pack and said a little sadly, "Somebody talk to me, distract me, tell me something positive."

Scott looked at Stiles suddenly from over Jackson's shoulder, "Negative intention?" he asked realizing what Stiles was talking about. "Deaton told me about this, if you put negative thoughts or emotions into something positive like healing. It can effect the outcome, like turning a blessing into a curse."

"When did you start hanging around Deaton?" Derek asked suspiciously as he continued to draw pain from his sister.

"I've been working with him for a while at the vet clinic. I like working with animals." Then looking at the four wolves he added, "Just real animals not the supernatural kind."

"Scotty," Stiles explained as always a little surprised at his friends density, "Deaton is a druid, you can't get much more supernatural or magical than that."

"Nah uh," Scott denied.

"How else do you think he knows about negative intention and how it ferrets magic?" Stiles shook his head and said, "We'll get back to that kettle of fish later. Just somebody talk to me about something positive. Now!" Stiles demanded desperately.

The group looked around at each other, at a loss for a moment. Jackson said, "I bought a bow."

"He's actually kind of a natural at it," Allison said proudly.

"I discovered these are pretty good at picking locks," Issac said unsheathing his claws to demonstrate.

Something clicked in Stiles mind as he finally thought to wonder how exactly Issac had gotten into his room this morning. He looked at Issac in horror as he said, "Issac Lahey did you break into my house this morning?"

When Issac ducked his head and looked sheepish as he nodded his head. Then Stiles did something out of character again, he laughed. "I'm so proud of you," he said.

Then looking around at all of the assembled including Scott and continued, "I'm proud of all of you, you guys are a great Pack. Even arguing and snarky, and dysfunctional, you still support each other including you Scott. This is good, this is very positive," he said. As he set back to work healing Cora's shoulder. He didn't see the slightly cheesy grins on the rest of his Pack as they basked in the praise of their Pack Mom, especially Derek. Whose eyes glowed red with pride.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N~ Ok this is a little random me trying to remake the Revised version of Teen Wolf. I hope you continue to read, enjoy and review. Next up Season 3, the Alpha Pack and the Darach. ~A**

**Chapter 31**

The Pack had gathered and were all sitting around in the Whittemore living room. Derek sitting in the huge armchair where Jackson's dad usually sat, with Stiles sitting in his lap.

Scott watched, as Stiles had guided Allison in how to create the vile looking green energy drink and then empowered it. Stiles was sweating profusely by the time it was done. As soon as it was obvious that he was done, Derek literally picked him up and took him into the living room and sat down.

Jackson had supervised the dragging of throw pillows down to the living room and down onto the floor. Cora stayed for the puppy pile that ensued, refusing a more comfortable guest room to be close to her pack. They spent the time quietly talking about school, about lacrosse, about all sorts of things. Not really getting as rowdy as usual in deference to Cora's injuries and Stiles obvious exhaustion. Jackson had remained surprisingly quiet, touching Cora's hair and good arm gently.

They had called the other Pack members over to join in. Danny and Lydia were the first to arrive. Jackson thought it would be awkward instead Lydia made it surprisingly easy. Going to a hall closet and pulling out a throw the strawberry blond had draped it over a dozing Cora carefully. She lifted Jackson's chin and whispered, "Its not about us anymore, its about Pack."

Issac is watching the pairs in the group and starts asking the very awkward questions about mates. ""Is it true that werewolves know their mates as soon as they meet them?"

"No, not always, some are lucky enough for it to happen that way, others it takes a little longer. It took me a longer time to admit to the feelings I had for Stiles than it did to feel them."

"Course, I'm irresistible," Stiles said drowsily into the werewolves shoulder.

Derek nuzzled the top of Stiles head and smiled softly. "Neither is it true that they just have the one mate in their lifetime, that's not to say it doesn't happen just like that sometimes, because it does, again its unusual."

"So you and Mom are unusual, but then what about Erica and Boyd, and Jackson and Cora," asked the curly haired blond.

Stiles actually lifted his head to stare blearily at the younger teen and said thoughtfully, "Maybe we're contagious? Wait that reminds me of something," Stiles said tiredly and tried to sit up only to have Derek hold him securely in is lap.

Derek did _not_ whine when Stiles struggled for a moment and then finally receded back into the werewolf's embrace. No, that was definitely not a whine that came from his lips. The fact that Stiles petted his arm and shoulder like he was soothing an unsettled animal was merely a loving gesture.

Stiles was able to focus enough to say, "Some of the older texts, like pre-Hunters suggested that is the Alpha Pair were True Mates, then a higher than average number of the mated pairs in their pack would be as well. Kind of like a fertility thing."

"A fertility thing?" Scott asked with a slight squeak to his voice.

Stiles actually rolled his eyes at his friend. "I'm not saying right away, Scott. In fact if any of you are pregnant before you graduate from college. I'll skin you alive myself," Stiles said firmly. There was a hint of almost Alpha growl in that tone that had them looking nervous.

"However, when you have found your True Mate and settled down after school and I can't believe I'm saying this, a couple of grand pups wouldn't be bad."

"Not exactly like you can pre-order those Stiles," Lydia snipped.

"Maybe not though I'm sure you'd try, and if you could a little girl with your coloring and nose would be cute as a button, Lyds." Stiles sassed right back at the Banshee.

There was laughter from the entire Pack. Lydia actually blushed at the suggestion though. Then Jackson asked, "Stiles? What did you do to Laura, if you don't mind my asking?"

The teen smiled a dark smile that had most of the Pack shifting uncomfortably to see, "I put the Wicca's Reed into effect. It works on most supernatural creatures not just wiccans and witches."

Although Lydia and several of the others knew what the Wicca's Rede was, no one understood the reference. "And it harm none or do no harm, do what you will." Stiles explained.

"It comes with a caveat. What applies here is that as long as you do no harm you can do what ever you can imagine. Laura has done harm. She turned Jackson without his permission, she threatened Derek and I'm fairly sure she sent those wolves after Chris and Allison. Now this. The rule is three times the good you put out will come back to you but so will three times the bad. I collared her with that."

"So everything she has ever done bad is going to come back to bite her in the ass?" Danny asks.

"Funny thing is basically its her own mind that's going to cause it. She's going to lash out, it's the way her mind works I guess. She hurt her sister and then tried to hurt me only she ended up only hurting herself in the end. From what Derek has said, she didn't use to be this way. I think him becoming an Alpha too kind of broke her." Stiles said thoughtfully, "But yeah its kind of a curse she's brought on herself."

As if he could read the older mans mind, Stiles suddenly smacked Derek in the leg hard and said, "Don't you dare go down that road. It's not your fault you became an Alpha. Its not your fault she can't handle the competition or that you're a better natural Alpha than she is as a trained Alpha. So no guilt-tripping," Stiles demanded. Derek nuzzled into Stiles nape gratefully, gently bumping his head along the teens neck in response.

"That being said, nobody goes out alone, I don't care what the event or where it is, we are Pack we travel as Pack. That bitch isn't getting any of us alone. Issac would you mind going with Scott and his mom for a while. Derek and I are going to work on finishing the lofts extra spaces off so that we can have a more permanent meeting place, as well as you, Erica and Boyd having a safe place. Then Mary and I are going to ward that place, the Preserve, everyone's houses and vehicles to within an inch of their lives."

"Eventually we'll add the hospital, school and sheriffs station, and expand to the edge of the town border and the territory but I'm going to have to be a lot stronger and wiser than I am now."

Everyone is quiet for a bit and then Jackson asks Stiles softly, "Can you break it?"

"What the curse?" Stiles asked, staring at the lacrosse captain like he had lost his mind.

"No the bond, I don't want to be tainted by that psycho bitch. What if she can control me, make me hurt the Pack or Cora?" Jackson says in a worried tone.

Stiles agrees, "Ok yeah I can sever it. Might be a little painful but since she actually hasn't officially claimed you it won't hurt as much as it could. I'll need a day or two though to recover from this," he said indicating with a wave of the hand the space between himself and Cora weakly.

Jackson looks at the teen he's pretty much tortured since they were both in the fifth grade and says gratefully, "Thanks Stiles for that and this," he says indicating where Cora is using him as a body pillow. Cora grumbles slightly as she tries to squirm deeper into Jackson's side.

Then the blond teens eyes scan past Stiles to where Derek is relaxing in the chair and a half behind Stiles and he says in a serious business like tone that Stiles would swear he probably learned at his adoptive father's knee, "Alpha, I would like your permission to court your sister Cora?"

"You can try but I think I would have asked Cora first," Cora growls weakly and Derek gives his Alpha smile all teeth and glowing red eyes.

Danny says, "You do like living dangerously, Jax."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Several days later: **Stiles was waiting for coach to show up, he needed to ask permission to use the pitch on the weekend. The Pack had to use it so they could learn to control their strength more for the fragile human players on both teams.

As usual for him he wasn't just waiting outside the office for coach who was working with the track and field team at the moment he was walking around the gym areas. The most impressive trophies were kept in the hall near the front office. The gym had different sections for the other trophies and pictures of the various teams.

The gym had the same thing for lacrosse, basketball and so forth. These were affectionately known as the Glory Walls. He was examining it when he noticed something. One of the swim team picture captions had all of the names of the murder victims. The swim team from a few years back including Issac's dad, who was the coach, the driver, and the team members.

Stiles called Derek from the pool area and waited for his mate to get there. While he was waiting the coach came in and had him sign some papers basically relieving the school of any responsibility. By the time he was done he wondered just what all he had signed away.

When Stiles went back to studying the walls, Coach Finstock reluctantly left him there to return to the running track to clean up after the Track and Field Team.

Derek arrived shortly after the coach had left, with Erica in tow. When Stiles looked at the pair with a questioning frown. Derek reminded him, "You said no one travels alone and Boyd is working this evening, with Lydia. Erica is my…bodyguard."

"And I take my job very seriously," said the blond with a smirk.

"Well you did pick one of the toughest of the pups at least," Stiles said with a proud smile.

Stiles was showing Derek the picture of the swim team and explaining his theory

When Erica gave a short cry behind them. They turned in time to see her thrown into a nearby wall by the kanima. Derek tried to get Stiles to run, only to be clawed in the back of the neck by the creature

Stiles grabbed his mate and slung the taller mans arm over his shoulders and started half dragging and half carrying the werewolf towards the exit. He was also trying to call someone to come and help. Probably Peter and Argent, he accidentally hit the speed dial for Scott though only to be informed that Scott couldn't take his call. It was about then that the paralysis hit full force and he fell into the pool.

Stiles left a fifteen second message before he tossed the phone down on the pool side and dove in after his mate. Hoping that Derek had the chance to grab a breath of air before he had fallen in.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**About half an hour earlier that same day: **Danny catches up with Scott outside the hospital where Scott is taking his mom some dinner, and tells him, "Gerard Argent is still alive."

"How the heck do you know that?" Scott asks curiously.

"My dad is the pharmacist. I work for him several days out of the week. I take the orders, work the computer and do the bookkeeping. Part of that is confirming scripts and refills. You know making sure they still have refills on the scripts, that sort of thing."

"Gerard Argent had a new medicine sent in. If I were my dad or your mom I wouldn't be able to tell you this. Argent has end stage cancer he is receiving medication for that. it's a new drug and unusual, so we had to order it in. It's coming in tonight and is supposed to be filled and ready by tomorrow evening."

"Good to know maybe we can work out some way to follow him tomorrow after he picks up the medicine. Call Derek later and see what he wants to do about it." Indicating the food he says ruefully, "Sorry got to get this inside while its hot, nothing worse than cold Mexican food." Danny nods his head in understanding and the two part ways.

About half an hour later Scott comes back out of the hospital and heads over to the section of parking lot where he parked his bike, only to be intercepted by a gun toting Gerard. "Let's have a talk, shall we Mr. McCall?"

"I saw your mother this evening lovely woman, reminds me of my late wife. Just as lovely, just as intelligent and just too tender-hearted for her own good." he said coldly. "Rather like my misguided granddaughter."

"You know I'm pretty sure if I screamed security would come running," Scott said bravely.

"Yes and then I would just gun them down as well as you," he said and waved the gun nonchalantly as he spoke, before adding, "No I think we should just keep this between us for now. Speaking of my granddaughter, I think you would do just about anything for her wouldn't you Scott. Even kill your Alpha?"

Scott replied hotly, "He's not my Alpha." Scott heard his phone give its signal for a missed call but he ignored it.

"You're lack of loyalty gives me some hope for your generation," the old man said and Scott definitely didn't like the light in Argent's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Scott said openly hostile now.

"I want you to help me," Gerard said simply and when Scott opened his mouth to argue, Gerard added, "and in exchange I won't kill Allison or your mother."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles muscles are all aching and his lungs are burning from exertion. "How long is the paralysis supposed to last again?" he asked trying not to sound a little desperate.

"Too long," Derek said baldly.

"Shut up Sour Wolf. Have you noticed that I've been holding you up for the past two hours. I got this." then he changed the subject. "How does Erica look can you see her, that thing isn't trying to hurt her or anything is it?"

"No," Derek said a little gratefully, "It seems to be leaving her alone but she still seems to be unconscious too."

"That might be a good thing in this case. It might try to kill her if it thinks she's a threat, as in awake." Stiles said a little breathlessly.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes as Stiles concentrated o keeping them above water and trying to regulate his breathing. Then he watched as for the third time he watched the lizard-like creature touch the water with one of its clawed hands only to snatch it back as soon as it touched the water.

"Did you notice it doesn't seem to want to come in the water. I thought I remembered something about that they were really good swimmers.

Derek gave a rather unhelpful grunt before asking in a bit of an angry tone, "You should let me go Stiles."

"Fuck you Sour Wolf," Stiles said louder and more vehemently than anything he's said since they went in the pool.

"Told you not till you turn eighteen," he said in an almost joking voice, except for the catch in his throat when he said it. "Stiles?"

"What?" the teen asked, still angry.

"Why don't you just blast the thing?"

"I can't exactly blast him while I'm keeping us above water now can I?" Stiles says and flounders a little as he accidentally swallows another gallon of pool water and starts coughing, his throat raw from having done this a few times now.

"Stiles?"

"Don't you dare say it, damn you!" Stiles said, "Scott will be hear any minute."

"You've been saying that for over an hour now. He's either not coming or that thing got to him before he could get in the door." Derek said.

"Positivity just isn't in your vocabulary is it?" said Stiles as he looked around trying to find the kanima.

"Stiles?"

"Look, just don't do this to me right now," Stiles said on a sob as he tried to hitch the larger man up in his arms only for both of their heads to go underwater as he overbalanced. "You have to think about the pups, I mean if you die none of them are ready to be the Alpha. What about the grand pups, who's going to teach them how it is to be a werewolf in a pack. Who's going to teach them how to howl at the moon?" Stiles added a little more roughly, "And I'd really like to make love to my mate before either one of us die."

He stops talking for a minute and Derek hears a very unpleasant sound in Stiles chest a soft wheezing and gurgling noise. Then Stiles gasps again as he asks, "Do you see him? I don't see him. I think he may have gone, I'm taking us to the side and going to try and get out." Stiles headed to the edge of the pool near one of the diving platforms and tried to grab hold of the rung with his last bit of strength, but his fingers keep slipping off.

He realizes he left it too long and that he doesn't have the strength to pull them out of the water. His fingers slip off the platform and he scrabbles for purchase on the tiles as their heads slip beneath the water. His last thought was, "Don't let go."

Then he feels someone grip his wrist firmly and give a solid pull and his and Derek's heads are above water again. They are dragged out of the water, first him and then, more slowly, Derek. He looks up to find Scott scowling down at them and he says, "Stay here."

As he trots off in the direction where Erica lays and Stiles thinks as he pulls the still unmoving Derek closer. "That was a little unnecessary." He is able to stay conscious just long enough to see Scott, Erica thrown over his shoulder coming back toward them.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Several days later: **Stiles had woken up to pain in his chest and the entirely too familiar sights and sounds of a hospital room. Except for a few differences, like his father lying on the other hospital bed in a very rumpled uniform. Lydia was laying across the foot of the bed. Derek was sitting in one of the dreaded hospital chairs holding his hand.

His vision cleared a little more and he saw Issac sitting on the floor behind the Alpha. Oddly enough Allison was leaning on one of his shoulders and Malia was on the other. Scott was laying on the floor with his head in Allison's. Danny had curled up in a corner that didn't have equipment standing in it. Peter and Chris had apparently found a couple more hospital chairs, and were leaning against each other. Although Peter looked more as though he were about to topple backwards out of the chair.

Boyd was sitting on the floor with Erica sitting in his lap, snoring contentedly. That is Erica was snoring, not Boyd, Stiles filed that tidbit away for future blackmail purposes. Stiles couldn't see Jackson and Cora so he looked inside and followed the Pack bonds till he found them at the foot of the bed. Jackson getting his clothes dirty for Stiles Stilinski would wonders never cease.

Experimentally he squeezed his mates hand, and suddenly Derek sat up in his chair gasping, "Stiles," The Spark smiled a little wanly at the older man, he tried to swallow only to find his throat was too dry and his throat actually made a clicking noise. Derek reached into a nearby glass and pulled an ice chip out to slip between the teens lips.

Stiles enjoyed the moisture on his tongue. If he'd been able he would have groaned with pleasure as Derek leaned forward to look into Stiles amber eyes, the Spark saw the Alpha's bottle green eyes fill with love and concern, as he said, "Never do that again," as he brushed a kiss across the younger mans temple.

"Right back at you, Sour Wolf," he whispered huskily.

The sound of that rasping voice was apparently enough to wake everyone up. Which meant a few cries of pain, especially from Lydia who accidentally got kicked in the side by the Sheriff who tried to sit up and get out of bed all at once forgetting the Banshee was still at the foot of the same bed.

Derek pushes the button before things can get too rowdy and it took less than two minutes to find the Pack complete with the Pack elder Mellissa McCall walking into the room. When everyone started talking at once, as she was trying to check his vitals, Mama McCall chastised them "Hush puppies." Everyone froze and you could have heard a pin drop.

The sound was more a short and painful bark than actual laughter but also breathtakingly necessary after all that had happened. After the ensuing gasping fit that followed the laugh, Mama McCall was smiling brilliantly as she checked his temperature, "Told you so," she said over her shoulder to the Sheriff. "You got your sense of humor from me and your Mom."

Stiles smiled gratefully at her around the thermometer. "Still a low grade temp, but the blood pressure and pulse have stabilized. That's definitely an improvement." she said professionally.

Stiles nodded and then rasped, "So what'd I miss?"

Derek's face stiffened, his fathers face went straight to his self-recrimination look, which Stiles hated even more than his look of disappointment. Everyone was looking towards Issac though with sorrow and pity. That was when Stiles remembered.

Issac's father was in the picture with the names of all the other victims. He felt the darkness swoop in and said with guilt heavy in his rasping tones, "Issac I'm so sorry, I wasn't fast enough. Maybe if I called my dad first…"

"Then you would have been alone, when that thing attacked. Paralyzed, in the water or possibly being shredded or eaten." Issac said and he looked disturbed with the thoughts that ran in his head.

A little green he concluded, "My dad was a good man once, but that was a long time ago. He deserved to go to prison and who knows he might have deserved what happened to him since he changed, but he was still my dad and... It hurts."

Stiles carefully lifted the arm that Derek wasn't holding out to the pup and suddenly, the pup was at his side and finding a way into Stiles side in between the leads, tubes, and Iv that were in place along the Pack Mom's side.

After a few minutes of cuddling and petting the pup had settled into quiet sniffling into Stiles shoulder. Stiles asked quietly, "Did I miss anything else?"

"Yeah," Scott said from where he now sat next to Allison. "Something happened and I did something you should all know about."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Flash forward a week: **Most of the Pack were gathered at a flood gate control station. Apparently the only swim team member who lived in the area was a man named Ian Markham. It took the Sheriff speaking to him for several minutes to convince the man that his life was actually in danger. He thought it was a joke being pulled by his old team mates. Until he saw the crime scene photos, after he finished throwing up in the nearby trash can he was convinced.

The Sheriff had driven the intended victim away with a small bag that held something Stiles had promised would ensure the kanima couldn't track Mr. Markham. The Sheriff had smelled the bag and other than an herby smell, he smelled nothing. The pasty faces of the wolves said that they smelled something far more potent and unpleasant than he did.

His newest deputy, a recent honorably discharged soldier had volunteered to be a stand in for Mr. Markham. The Sheriff wasn't comfortable with the plan Scott, Stiles and the rest of the Pack had come up with. In particular the distinct lack of police involvement.

Deputy Parrish had been agreeable if reluctant to stay out of the way during their sting. Until he had seen the age of most of the participants, he had nearly corralled the lot of them to call their parents and send them home. The redhead had sassed, "Your participation is strictly by our choice, you want to go home, there's the door." He kind of liked her.

Then the thing attacked but the kids made sure it never got in the building. The thing was it wasn't alone, there were humans, men they called hunters, and they were ruthless. In the meantime the tall Hawaiian kid was working on the computer near him, talking into a Bluetooth looking device.

The redhead threw a knife that manages to imbed itself in the creatures side, the thing merely roared at her and then pulled the knife out and threw it away. Gerard s suddenly there and after stabbing Issac repeatedly he threw the teen into Allison.

The archer is trying to help Issac get back on his feet, after Gerard's attack. Instead the kanima appears beside the pair and grabs Allison by the throat to lift her to her feet. Then he extends one of his longer claws and holds it against the Archers neck in a threatening way as he looks at the wolves standing around him. "Now it's your turn Mr. McCall."

Scott is suddenly behind Derek slashing a knife blade across the back of his neck. He then drags the Alpha over to where Gerard is already rolling up his sleeves. He then pulls Derek's head back and forces his paralyzed body to bite the older man in the arm.

When he was done Scott basically dropped Derek on the floor and told Gerard, "You got what you wanted, now let Allison go?"

"Of course," said the older Argent as he stared at his arm and smiled evilly. "Scott I told you it was never about Allison. It's always been about revenge. It looked at the kanima and hunters and ordered, "Kill them all, not Hale he's mine."

Suddenly Stiles yells, "Move!" Allison slams an elbow into the kanimas face and grabbing Issac by the arm, drag/pulls him to the side of the spillway. As a wall of water is released that washes the hunters and the kanima down the spillway.

A particularly strong current shoots the lizard out into the middle of the river. He lingers there for a moment struggling to keep his head above the water. Eventually he panics, and sinks under the turbulent waters. In the ensuing insanity the other hunters are killed or tied up. Meanwhile the wounded Gerard manages to escape.

Derek stands up as soon as they discover Gerard has escaped and starts to go after the older man only to have both Scott and Danny tell him not to bother.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Later that night: **Gerard had decided to hunker down in one of his families bunkers. He thought he might be rejecting the bite he had gotten from Derek Hake. He was annoyed because he's had the intention of killing Hale with his sword. That way he would become the Alpha, and he would also gain more power if the rest of the Pack died. Especially when it was so close to the full moon.

In the meantime, Gerard sealed himself in the bunker and chained himself securely to the cage he had put himself in as soon as he had returned to the bunker. He had been there about half an hour when he started feeling ill. and for the past twenty minutes, and had started coughing up black goo.

He was sure he had been poisoned he just didn't know how. Then his sweating palms run across his pants leg and they run across something tucked in his pant pocket. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the medicine he had recently been prescribed. He broke open one of the capsules and discovered it was filled with mountain ash. He is so weakened by the mountain ash poison by this time he can't escape to get help. The last thing we see of Gerard Argent is of him with black blood coming out of every orifice.

**More added in editing**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N~ So for those who haven't figured it out, I don't have a beta. Also I am developing arthritis in my hands that on top of my being legally blind, makes the typing a challenge but I love my writing and I'm not going to let these challenges stand in my way. That being said I apologize for the delay in this post but I had a stomach bug that has been going around and really wasn't up to posting on time. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Read, enjoy, and review. ~A**

**Chapter 32**

Mary was sitting on the table in the Loft whenever Stiles came in the next day. The crews were off today, it was Sunday afternoon after all. "Where is everybody?" the older woman asked curiously.

"Most of them are doing couple things. Scott is spending time with Allison, but they've been having a rocky time of it. Cora and Jackson are having dinner with his parents. Erica and Boyd are having lunch with their respective families and then they are going to spend a little time at the ice rink." the teen replied.

"I think they said something about hockey." he added and shuddered slightly as he said, "Talk about a contact sport. Issac and Malia are spending time with Chris and Peter. Lydia is having a sleepover later for all the girls in the Pack. Derek is actually out of town right now. It was the first time in a while he's had the time off, and he knew you wanted to spend time with me so he went to take care of some business, for his boss."

"Are you recovered from your traveling through the ether?" Mary asked with a slightly concerned smile.

"Yep, fully recovered. So what do we work on today, studying, practice, dueling wands?" Stiles asked.

"Wards and protections," the older woman replied as she slid off the table, "We need to design a temporary ward for the members of your pack to wear until we can think of a more permanent protection. We also need to start setting wards around the area."

"I actually had an idea about that." He set his backpack on the table and rummaged through the contents for a minute before pulling out a few sheets of drawing paper. On the first sheet was a drawing of a disk, On the surface a simple triskele was embossed, engraved over the surface was a wolf howling at the moon. The engraving was done so delicately if you weren't looking for it you wouldn't see it but when you did see it the detail was amazing, but also ended up looking more like the engraving were scratches and flaws in the metal.

The next page showed the edge of the coin on one side was enscribed the pack members name. In the drawings case "Erica Reyes". On the opposite side was inscribed a random set of letters. DSMJSPCEBACLDMJM. Quarter way around the coin edge was "consulere" and on the opposite side of that was Beacon Hills.

On the third page was the reverse side of the disk, sixteen symbols were inscribed. A series of runes, alchemical and astronomical symbols. In the center was a ruby engraved with the symbol of home engraved on the stone. A crescent moon curved around the outside of the stone. At the top of the coin was the symbol for the four elements.

Spaced around the back were runes for personal protection, camouflage, protection, success, and courage in battle. Break locks and fetters, purify (to remove poison, venom, anything that shouldn't be in the blood). There were also symbols for healing, luck, health, peace, and turning evil back upon itself and to end strife.

"I found a spell to ensure that even if it is lost or stolen it will return to the owner. I even managed to find a supplier for the gemstones. They're still going to be expensive, but if we buy them in bulk say two dozen at once, it'll only be 850 a piece. Platinum's a little harder. I'm having a hard time figuring out how much we need."

"Platinum usually comes in troy ounce size ingots, problem is to do the design I want and have enough left over for any newcomers will be about 20 pounds of platinum and about 24-½ carat rubies, at least. We'll have some left over like I said in case we decide to increase our Pack size, or Derek does." Stiles sighs thoughtfully and says, "There is just the problem of cost of energy, money and time."

"If we order it today how long will it take to get here?" Mary asked eyes distant.

"At least two weeks unless we pay to have it expedited, and that will be even more. Probably close to four to five hundred thousand for everything. Even then I don't think I have the skill to do all the engraving and so forth. The magi-chanical things are going to be a challenge too, with my ADHD."

"Ok, order it tomorrow, they can ship it the day after and we'll want it here on Wednesday. As for the working and the magi-chanical aspects I have someone I want you to meet.. But what magi-chanical elements did you have in mind."

"Once each person receives the amulet they rub their finger around the edge to activate the spell for the amulet to be cued to their DNA. If they ever get in a life or death situation, press the ruby it will bring them to the Pack house which we still have to build. The Loft will only work for so long." Stiles said already feeling the weight of being the Alpha Mate and Pack Mom settle on his shoulders. "Problem is the "beam me up Scotty" move will only work one time probably before the ruby shatters, and we have to replace it."

"Oh, I think the individual I want you to meet can take care of that too, but a cache of the rubies might not be a bad idea just in case. So we'll double the order. By the way the mix of protective runes you chose were exceptional. I approve. Your design, choice of materials, were also exceptional. You have a real skill for this Stiles." Mary said proudly.

Stiles smiled, and blushed, before saying, "Okay so what did we have in mind for the wards?"

"Actually I took the liberty of setting wards around the recognized territory of the Hale Pack, already. If the Beacon Hills Pack decides to lay out their territory along a different line or in a different area we can work that out at that time."

"I had some workmen lay out stacks of bricks along a surveyed line that I had staked out. They even dug a trench along the line for me. I blended salt, herbs and wood chips with appropriate magical correspondences, put it in the trench and covered it with the bricks and then filled it back in with the dirt after activating the magic." the older woman explained.

"Ok, I think it's great that we're protecting Beacon Hills, but wouldn't it be better if we did it under the Beacon Hills Pack?" Stiles asked curiously.

"Stiles this is supposed to be what an emissary does. Negotiate an alliance between two packs. The rift between Derek and his family must be repaired. The fact that Laura Hale is showing herself to be an unstable Alpha is more proof of that than anything else." Mary argued calmly.

Stiles looked stunned for a moment and then put his hands over his lower face and wiped downward and then looked up at Mary sheepishly, "Oh man this is one of those times I'm supposed to look at the big picture, isn't it?"

Then before Mary could answer Stiles went on, "I was so busy trying to protect our Pack and my mate I didn't even think about how Laura's meltdown might affect the Hale Pack. It would devastate Derek if something happened to his family. I mean he doesn't talk about them, not really, but I know he misses them, a lot."

"Ok so I guess we had better resolve this before that order gets placed tomorrow. Let me call Derek first," Stiles said seriously.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The phone lit up and Derek was so focused on what Mr. Sands was saying that he didn't even notice.

Meanwhile on the other side of the line Stiles growled a little in frustration before he said into the phone, "You know it kinda defeats the purpose of having a cell phone if you don't actually answer the damned thing. So I know how much it hurts you to be away from your parents and your Pack so I'm going to do something about that. Call me back later. Love you Derek."

He ended the call and then pulled up Cora's information on his contact list. When he called he heard feminine laughter and chatter in the background, "Hey Stiles, what's going on?"

Stiles looked at his watch and realized that it was later than he thought as he replied, "I need to get hold of your mom, can I get her number from you?"

Cora was instantly suspicious and a little fear, "Stiles why do you need to talk to my mom?"

"I'm doing my job, little sis." Stiles said in a too mature voice. When the other teen seemed to be stubbornly refusing to respond. Stiles said with a hint of Alpha voice, "Cora give me the number."

Perhaps before she knew what she was doing, Cora rattled off the phone number and Stiles as compensation promised, "I'll fix a big batch of brownies for the Pack meeting this week. Have fun ladies,"

Stiles collected his thoughts and said, "Ok here goes," and placed the call. A smooth contralto answered the phone, "Talia Hale."

"Alpha Hale," said the Spark, "This is the emissary for the Beacon Hills Pack. Your son Derek's Pack. My name is Stilinski. I believe it would be a good idea for us to meet. I apologize for the sort notice, but I was wondering if you would care to meet at Circles for dinner this evening, or desert and coffee if you've made other arrangements?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line and Stiles imagined considering their last meeting the woman was getting over her shock at the olive branch that was being offered he just prayed she would take it. "What exactly do you think we need to discuss Mr. Stilinski?"

"Ah the nibble," Stiles thought to himself, "I would like to discuss the mental and physical health of your daughter Laura. Also the protection, well being and future of both of our Packs and Beacon Hills."

"If you are threatening my daughter or my Pack," the older woman growled threateningly.

"Actually I'm trying to protect you, your family, and your Pack. As well as trying to save your daughter, if you are interested." Stiles replied respectfully.

There was another long, considering silence.. "Circling," Stiles thought as he waited patiently.

"I am intrigued Mr. Stilinski. However I have made arrangements for dinner I would greatly enjoy a slice of their Truffle Cake however." The older woman replied with a purr.

Stiles did a fist pump as he thought, "The bait has been taken." He replied, "It is a positively drool worthy treat I admit. However, Mr. Vincente has mentioned a few new additions to the menu, including an orange infused brownie with homemade vanilla ice cream on top. Also a Chocolate and Caramel cheesecake with Hot Fudge drizzled on top. If you're feeling adventurous and decadent, of course."

"Mr. Stilinski I believe you have been pumping certain former members of my Pack for information on my weaknesses." the woman said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"On the contrary Alpha Hale, according to them, you have none. However being a lawyer, it is only natural that you would enjoy chocolate. I have such a challenge convincing people that chocolate is brain food, I'm glad to finally meet someone who agrees with my wisdom on the matter." Stiles offered irreverently.

The laugh she gave was a husky one as she said, "You are a refreshing change from many of the emissaries that I've met."

"I'm afraid you may find that I'm nothing like emissaries you've met in the past. I'm not as unbiased as most of them, I also will fight for what I believe is right. Now is 8:30 this evening, good for you?" Stiles asked. When he received a positive response Stiles confirmed the time.

Mary was on the phone with someone and was saying, "Seven this evening then?" Apparently she was arranging a dinner date of her own, he thought as he ended the conversation with Talia Hale.

Mary advised him, "You have a dinner date with the one who is going to make the talismans for us. Take the designs with you, and tell him we want sixteen made at first and we may add on to the order at a later time."

Stiles nodded and put the designs back into a folder with several other items he had been working on. "We can order the materials tomorrow. Tell him that we will have them within the week and he will expect payment when the dinner is concluded. She then drew a velvet pouch from within the folds of her skirt, and handed it to him.

The teens innate curiosity had him opening the pouch and pouring the contents out into his palm and he gapped. Sitting in his palm was a gem the size of a soft ball. It was raw, neither polished nor cut, and yet had an orangey-red color the light seemed to shine through, even in its regular state, and then Stiles turned it in his hand and suddenly it looked as if a laser light show was happening within the stone. "Wow."

"Yes I think, he'll agree with your assessment," Mary said dryly. "Its called painite one of the rarest gems in the world and one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. Because of the inclusions and fractures and naturally brittle nature of the stone it's a challenge to work with and just the kind of thing my friend will find enjoyable."

"What's your friends name?" Stiles asked as he very carefully slid the stone back into the pouch.

"Dorga," Mary replied. "He'll be meeting you at 7:00 PM at Circles. He's a dwarf as in old style, stone and earth, dwelling and manipulating. So the warning about making sure and not let him trick you. I have written the deal down on the paper I gave you. Now for the Circles, I think you need to get home and get changed into something a little more elegant."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles laughed at the joke Mr. Vincente had told as they were walking to the curtained room. The area of the room was about 12 x 12 and had sheer curtains around it. Circles was a very posh restaurant, Mr. Vincente was the owner and his son was one of Stiles success stories with his foray into babysitting. So Mr. Vincente was grateful to the point of putting Stiles at his best table .

Stiles had been sitting at the table for about ten minutes, when he was joined by a barrel-chested, well dressed dwarf. Dark haired with a neatly trimmed beard, the man was led to the table by the hostess. The man had obviously charmed the woman who was practically gushing as she led him into the more private table.

Stiles rose to his feet adjusting his suit before he extended his hand in greeting, "Mr. Dorga, my name is…."

"Mr. Stilinski, yes our mutual friend told me. It is Dorga not Mr. Dorga although I do appreciate the courtesy it is not necessary." the older looking man said amicably as he shook the teens hand. Stiles own hand was practically engulfed in the dwarves own hand.

"Then it's Stiles," the teen said with a smile as he added. "Please," indicating the table

"Stiles it is an unusual name I must say." then in a quick movement he had retaken Stiles hand in his own and continued, "You have the hands of an artisan, I could teach you how to work the metal and gems like a true Duage."

"A duage? I don't think I've ever heard that term," he said as he carefully extracted his fingers and looked at his hand curiously trying to discern what the dwarf had seen.

"A duage even in my peoples heyday were a rarity. Now," he shrugged a little sadly, "They were users of magic, another rarity among our kind. They were the ones who worked the finest magic into the amulets we created. Made the securest supports for our most dangerous mines. Mines that still stand even into this day and age, " Dorga said with obvious pride.

"it sounds beautiful," Stiles said as the waitress came over to take their order. Then watched in befuddled amusement as the woman practically fell all over herself to flirt with the dwarf. She was attractive of course and charming if unprofessional.

The dwarf ordered a meal worthy of any red blooded male. Stiles ordered something much lighter than usual, Miso Soup, Kale Salad, Poached Salmon and Roasted Vegetables. Stiles also had water while Dorga ordered a red wine.

"You are planning something powerful in the works for the very 'near future." Dorga said confidently as he stared at the younger man.

"Several some-things, as a matter of fact. That's why I am rather desperate for added protection for my Pack and the rest of the surrounding area," Stiles smiled softly as the overly attentive waitress came back and with military precision placed the wine glass in front of the dwarf. Stiles glass of water was plopped down with such disregard that a quarter of the contents sloshed out on the table and towards Stiles.

With a move the waitress didn't even see the Spark scooped the water up and back into the glass in a wave. Vincente saw some of what happened and so did Dorga, Vincente scolded the waitress while Stiles dinner companion merely raised his eyebrows at Stiles, impressed.

Vincente apologized to the pair he had deemed VIP's and hustled the waitress away but not before she had somehow managed to slip Dorga her phone number. "Does that happen to you a lot?" The dwarf shifted his shoulders in a sort of shrug as he responded.

"Humans apparently no matter how modern they have become still have an affinity for the earth. So when they meet the ones of the earth they have a reaction, usually euphoric or sexual."

"Ones of the earth?" Stiles asked curiously.

"Dwarves, pixies, brownies, the few elves that remain, Sparks, Fae of any kind really." he smiled ad added, "I swear, I've had more overtures than I ever did before the humans came along. I imagine you find it so as well."

Stiles shook his head and replied, "No pretty much things as usual except for my wolf," Stiles replied with a small smile as he thought, "And that's plenty enough for me."

"Mates are a very settling influence on our natures that is true. I am happy for you, friend Stiles."

With that Stiles and Dorga got back down to business. Stiles slid the file over to the dwarf. He studied the drawings. He pulled out a wide flat pencil to make notes on the drawings as Stiles explained what he wanted. He would nod his head ask the occasional question and make suggestion.

"If you move the moon and ruby on the back slightly off center, It will be able to be set more securely in the medallion as well as becoming the eye of the wolf on the other side." Dorga mentioned. Stiles liked the idea but ultimately vetoed it as he preferred the wolf to be more subtle. Not all of the Pack are wolves after all.

He then very carefully but deliberately pulls the pouch out of his pocket and places it on the table between them. "I wouldn't normally insult you by being so bold about the payment but truth be told. It's such a beautiful gem, I just wanted to see it again even in the raw."

Dorga tilted his head and smiled, before very carefully working the stone out of the pouch and placing it on the table between them. Stiles was once again stunned by the beauty of the gem. Mesmerized with the color and inclusions and flaws, it took him a moment to realize that the dwarf was actually talking to him, "Are you quite sure there are no fae or dwarves in your family tree?"

Stiles gave a sheepish grin of embarrassment as he said, "Not to my knowledge."

When they are winding down the business side of things, their new waiter brings them their respective meals. He is courteous, charming and attentive to both of them and after topping off their drinks leaves them both to enjoy their meal. They pass the time doing just that in companionable silence.

Dorga is carefully cleansing his beard of food particles, when he said, "Something Talia Hale has never understood and apparently has passed on the ignorance to her offspring, the wolves were never meant to work alone."

"I don't understand," Stiles said in confusion.

Dorga explained, "When Talia was younger, a fae light court member wanted to court her take her as mate but he considered her wolf to be. Repulsive. Idiot. Anyway he wanted her to give up her wolf, her family, her Pack and responsibilities and come to court with him. When she refused he did not take it well. Long and short, the then Prince had to intercede, the court member was punished and while restitution was made, Talia never trusted anything with magic again."

"Which is a shame, because as I said the Pack, any pack were never meant to protect the world from the darkness by themselves. Alliances were meant to be made between the Packs and the kith and kin of the earth. One of the things you plan on doing that involve a great deal of power? Would it include healing the Nemeton?" the dwarf asked knowingly.

Stiles merely gave the dwarf a small smile, and the dwarf smiled back as he said, "Don't worry if anyone could accomplish it, it would be you. Now when the components arrive for the items," he said as he scooped the file into an odd looking briefcase that Stiles could have sworn he didn't come in with.

"You know how to contact me, and as your desert guest is on her way here, I will make my exit. No please don't get up. Just please be aware that the people of the Earth will be yours to call," he said with an extremely formal and profound tone. As if making a deal of epic proportions. He stood, took Stiles hand but instead of shaking it he bowed over it and added, "Please contact me if you would like to make a more formal alliance with the People of the Earth. I would be honored to be your liaison. An honor Mr. Stilinski."

Then he was gone, he didn't walk out of the room, he just wasn't there anymore, Stiles had only a moment or two to contemplate the offer he had made about the help from the other supernatural creatures alliance before Derek's mother arrived.

Talia Hale was beautiful and elegant as always. Carrying herself with supreme dignity. Even at a distance though Stiles could see the differences in the woman from the time they had confronted her in the supermarket. Her hair while beautifully styled did not look as healthy. Her eyes no longer sparkled and while the makeup hid a great deal, Stiles could still see the well hidden dark circles.

The woman's world was falling apart around her and she could see no way to heal it, and it was tearing her and her Pack apart. It made Stiles even more determined to help her and by proxy his mate. He just hoped he could find the right words and find a way to heal Laura as well. Before she spiraled into madness.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N~ Thank you everyone for being so patient about the late updates in my writing and thank you to whoever it was who said, "It's worth the wait." My fans are the best they always make me smile or cry and the crying is usually happy tears or the kind you get when you just want to reach through the computer screen and give someone a bone-crushing hug… but in a good way. Please remember to review, suggestions and so forth are welcome. ~A **

**Chapter 33**

Stiles stood as soon as the woman was ushered into the curtained off oasis he had arranged with Mr. Vincente. He extended his hand and shook her hand warmly as he let Mr. Vincente seat the older woman.

He waited for the older man to leave their area before he spoke formally, "I am grateful you agreed to meet with me Alpha Hale," Stiles studied the woman even as he knew she was studying him.

"Your proposal as I said intrigued me, Squire Stilinski." she replied and although her tone was pleasant he knew that probably wasn't going to last long.

"I'm glad to hear it." He decided to nip the contention between them in the bud. "Especially considering the recent unpleasantness between our two Packs."

"Our Packs?" and there it was the imperiousness of the Alpha, very clearly rang in that tone.

"You have declared your son, no longer part of your Pack. Basically disowned him," he reminded her, "You didn't expect him to seek out a Pack of his own?" Stiles asked seriously studying the woman.

He saw the flash in her eyes and once again she spoke in the Alpha tone, as though that was supposed to quell his speaking to her about things that she really didn't want to discuss. "I expected him to leave the area, as any self respecting rogue, should do." She said as she lifted the goblet of water to her lips and took a long drink of the clear liquid.

"Except he never was a rogue, even though you and your daughter tried very hard to push him that way. I recognize your desire to keep the Pack leadership…matriarchal. Traditionally, a feminine leadership is more stable and nurturing than most masculine lines where the leadership tends to be more territorial and combative." He said knowledgeably and did his best to hide the spark of hope he felt as Talia Hale looked at him with new found respect.

Stiles prided himself on his skills of observation, a trait he very proudly blamed on his father. So when Talia took another sip of water, he noticed the minute tremor to her hand. Then his focus zeroed in on the woman's fingernails, particularly the nail beds which showed a slight hint of lavender.

If it were Lydia or perhaps even Cora he would say it were the artifice of a well done manicure or distinctive nail polish. In this case he didn't think so though. The woman was a professional, a lawyer, for heaven sakes, he didn't see her using such a childish decoration.

He realized that he had missed part of her answer as he had been lost in his thoughts and cursed his ADHD, as he asked the Alpha to repeat herself. She looked a little irritated when she said, "This is true, now why do I think you will have some argument against this."

"Because I do, while matriarchs are more stable. Mated Alpha pairs are even more stable, than the matriarchs as they have both the nurturing of the maternal side and the protective side of the male. Considering where we live you can surely understand the need for the more territorial aspects that might be needed in light of the Nemeton." Stiles said thoughtfully.

"Although wolves are usually anti-magic, I'm sure by your very nature Alpha Hale that you recognize the Nemeton is already calling darkness to it." he suggested even as the waiter came towards them to take their order.

Although Stiles wanted to have some caffeine to keep his energy up the woman in front of him needed something more. Plus he had a sneaking suspicion tat someone had poisoned the leader of the Hale Pack. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew who he also knew that she wouldn't trust anything he gave her unless he took it too.

"Hot water please?" he told the waiter before the woman could order. When they both looked at him in confusion he repeated, "Hot water, please. As in for tea, for two?" He said and waved the waiter away before the woman could argue.

"I'm not particularly fond of tea, Mr. Stilinski." the Alpha said in the regal tone again, "Nor am I fond of young men who think they know what a woman wants just because they're a man."

"Well then it's a good thing that my mother taught me to have better manners than that." Stiles said with a slightly cheeky grin, "However, my main concern at the moment is what my mate would want, which in this case is for his mother not to die." He lifted his messenger bag from the floor and after puling several files out he pulled two vials from a side pocket and put some of the files back into the messenger bag.

He scanned the room not seeing anyone he recognized but then he wasn't familiar with Derek's former Pack and truth be told wasn't entirely sure he would recognize them if he saw them. "Alpha Hale can you tell me if any of your Pack are in the restaurant?"

He saw the stubborn tilt of the head that was so reminiscent of Derek that before she could argue the point, he said sharply, "Talia is anyone from your Pack here?"

She recognized the urgency in his tone and drew a deep breath closing her eyes. Like a sommelier tasting a fine wine she studied over the various scents and tastes on the air in the restaurant, before opening her eyes again and saying, "No, no one from my Pack is here at the moment.

Stiles seemed deep in thought for a few seconds as the waiter came and set up the tea water for the pair, then his head came up and he looked at the older woman as he said, "Who did you have dinner with?"

"Laura, and a couple of her cousins, my birthday is coming up in a few days. Derek used to …when he was part of our Pack would make a little birthday celebration for just me and the kids and when he was in town my husband…."

"Laura?" Stiles asked instantly suspicious.

"Yes," Talia said ignoring the tone of his voice as she continued, "It was rather sad actually, she's not as good a baker as Derek but still she should have gotten to sample some of her wares."

"Derek can bake? I didn't even know he could cook. Wait, that's irrelevant. Why didn't Laura get to eat the cupcakes?" Stiles asked going from incredulous and curious back to suspicious again in nothing flat.

"She got sick almost instantly after she served the cupcakes," Talia said staring at the teen as his head fell to the table and then he hit his head on the table a couple of times.

Lifting his head he poured something from two of the vials into Talia's teacup and then the same two plus another into his teacup. He poured water over both as he explained that he thought something was affecting Laura tainting her Alpha power.

When Talia started in on the denials he drew the Hale mother's attention to her own nail beds and the lavender color which had darkened in color even as they had sat their talking for the few minutes. He also explained about the Rede curse he had put on Lara after her attack on Cora. "She got sick because she was trying to poison you with Wolves Bane." He explained as they waited for the tea to steep.

She still didn't believe him until he reminded her of all the things that Laura had done over the past several months. Like forcing Talia to choose between son and daughter, sending the three werewolves to attack the Argents and endangering the treaty between the Pack and the Hunters.

Biting Jackson and then abandoning the teen before the first Full Moon against several of the guidelines that governed the werewolves. Then finally the attack on Cora. "Your daughter has gone rogue, Alpha Hale, she just hides it well. My guess she only put enough wolves bane in the cupcakes to make you a little ill in order to test the Rede's power."

His face twisted into a look of sorrow, "Waste of a perfectly good cupcake," he said sadly shaking his head.

Talia struggled to maintain a straight face as she finally got to see some of the real teenager. She had a feeling the young mans discussion about mated Alpha pairs weren't just an example he was making. She very carefully scented the air and realized that while Stiles had been marked, he hadn't yet been claimed.

She was trying to decide how to broach the subject without being totally inappropriate, when he pushed the cup of tea in her direction and then proceeded to drink his own tea. He smiled and there was an expression in his eyes that were almost amber in the candlelight. The expression were that of contentment but the glow of the eyes were definitely a reminder of a wolf.

Talia took a sip of the tea, bracing herself for the bite of the aconite. Only to find the tea while refreshing not to have the usual bitter after bite of the poison. Stiles was studying her and he said, "So here's the real reason I asked you here, Alpha Hale."

"Your daughter is having some issues. I think she needs help, professional therapeutic help. There is an Alpha, a therapist in Alaska. She deals with werewolves who have problems. Sometimes the ones who have suffered a loss due to Hunters, those who are having difficulties dealing with the pressures of being an Alpha." I don't claim to know what is going on with Laura, but and especially after this, he said indicating her hands, "Something is definitely going on with Laura. I would like her to get the help she needs before something happens that can't be glossed over."

Talia was about to respond angrily when she actually thought through everything that Stiles had said and realized that he was right. She had been glossing over, overlooking and generally ignoring the things Laura had been doing.

Laura had turned someone before she was actually the Alpha. It was something she was allowed to do as the Heir, but only if she had the Alpha Prime's permission. She didn't. Talia had been unaware that the Argents had been attacked and Stiles was right the Hunters could claim the treaty void because of the attack and call in every Hunter in the country to take out the Hale Pack for the unwarranted attack.

Now this, poisoning of her own Alpha, was enough to have her daughter put to death by Pack Law. For all that she had done since the return of her brother to Beacon Hills Laura had basically signed her own death warrant. Talia lifted the cup of tea to her lips and took a drink too collect her thoughts.

Other than what Stiles had suggested she saw no escape for her daughter and the things she had done? Any reasonable Alpha would never let her anywhere near any position of power within the Pack. Not even the Bolverk, the doers of evil things among the Pack were allowed such outrageous activities without the Alpha's permission.

Any such activity drew attention to the supernatural's and to werewolves in particular. The fact that the Argents hadn't called an end to the treaty was shocking in itself. When she looked up it was to find Stiles watching her and for just a second she thought he could read every thing she was thinking.

The next thing he said made her certain of it, "The reason the Argents haven't voided the treaty is because of your Bolverk saving them from the attack by your Betas." The young man said before finishing off his tea.

"Peter saved them? I didn't think…" and she stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes darkening, before she asked, "when exactly did the attack on the Argents take place?"

Stiles gave her the date and saw realization dawn in her eyes. "That was the date several of the Betas never came home and Laura said they had moved on to form their own Pack. It was also the day that Peter informed me he had chosen to join Derek's Pack."

"Yes," Stiles agreed noncommittally. He placed the cup at the edge of the table and in just a moment a desert menu appeared in front of the pair even as the cups disappeared from the table.

Talia studied Stiles more closely as he studied the desert menu. "Does Derek know…"

"What Derek knows is that you are his mother and that he love you. He loves his sister as well but recognizes that she is…ill right now and needs help. What his wolf knows is something else entirely. His wolf knows that Laura has attacked no less than five members of his Pack and family. That puts her very firmly in the enemy side of the equation. Not a great place to be." he studied the woman and said in a gentler tone of voice.

"Anything else that he might need to know, either as an Alpha or as your son," he said his eyes lowering back to the menu he explained, "We agreed that it should come from you."

"I think I'll have the Dark Orange Brownie with Ice Cream." Stiles finally said. "I highly recommend that you fill your chocolate quotient for the day and then some to make up for the atrocity that was the Cupcake Incident." Stiles shuddered and Talia could not decide if the shudder was just Stiles being dramatic or an actual act of revulsion because of the contamination of a treat food.

As she studied the desert menu Talia said without looking up at the younger man, "You think I should make Derek my Alpha Heir at least temporarily until Laura has been treated for whatever is wrong with her." It was a statement of fact rather than a suggestion.

Stiles however played it off perfectly, closing his desert menu with a snap he said, "What a brilliant idea and the fact that Derek is already an Alpha in his own right is so convenient. Don't you agree?" the little emissary said before taking a sip of water.

Talia merely smiled and said, "I think you're right I'll have the Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake. I'm quite sure I'll need it when dealing with you."

"Brain food, chocolate is brain food. At last I have a convert," he said with a smile that literally charmed the Alpha.

My son has no idea, what he's gotten himself into with you. Does he?" Talia asked as she lifted her water goblet in a toasting gesture.

Stiles playfully clinked glasses with the older woman as he agreed with a grin that was turning a little cheeky, "Course not, where's the fun if you solve the mystery in the first few chapters?"

**A/N/N~ Also character death coming, don't worry not a major character but still traumatic for both Packs. So a little forewarning there in case of triggers. ~A**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N~ See end of story for authors notes. Please don't forget to review. Thanks everyone for your patience. ~A**

**Chapter 34**

**A couple of weeks later: **Derek worked to get the surprisingly large couch up the stairs. Peter was supposed to have been helping but the older werewolf had called to say he had to go into the hospital for a couple of hours as they were hosting a group from the State Medical Board and his presence was requested. See surprise inspection and that his presence was demanded.

This had happened before and Derek wasn't overly concerned, just made things more challenging for him. The rest of his Pack were either working or at school. Stiles and Boyd had managed to repair the old freight elevator. It had taken them two weeks of research and tracking down parts, before they even got started.

Allison had done her part with help from Cora and Lydia the trio of women had worked out a way to light up the top of the elevator so that the two men had been able to see what they were doing without being encumbered by flashlights. It involved floodlights, extension cords and Allison hanging upside down for an extended period of time with Cora holding her legs.

All wonderful accomplishments by his pack, unfortunately this particular couch was too large to fit in the freight elevator. Fortunately he had werewolf strength or he probably would have had to do what normal humans do and drink beer while waiting for the rest of the Pack to show up to help him. Didn't really help getting the thing around the sharp turn of the landings though. That was still a wrestling match of epic proportions.

Derek finally got the couch to the loft area and after jamming the door open moved the couch into the loft. Just having it in the loft for now was enough of an accomplishment the Alpha figured to take a break. Un-jamming the door as he walked by he checked the fridge. Most beers Derek didn't really like, he had to enjoy the flavor, especially since he didn't get the buzz from it that humans did.

Stiles his wonderful mate had used his real ID and called himself designated driver. His father had come with the pair on Stiles insistence. Stiles had then ordered a beer sampler for Derek and his dad. They got to try six different beers, with unsalted pretzels and bottled water to cleanse the pallet in between the beers. Both men had found a new beer they each enjoyed since then they had made a habit of going to the once monthly tasting parties at the bar.

Derek was tempted to get one of those beers but Stiles was coming over later, since he hadn't gotten to see his mate in several days, he wanted a clear palate the better to taste his mate. Stiles had been working tirelessly, Derek wasn't sure for what he was merely grateful, he was going to get to see him tonight. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and practically threw himself down on the new couch and took several swallows of the icy cold liquid. He leaned his head back and let his body cool down.

Privacy was still an issue for the pair, not that Derek had any intention of breaking his oath about Stiles virginity. He had no plans to touch the teen anywhere below the waist, something Stiles had already been pushing a bit. It had been a challenge for the both of them but Stiles was worth it, that and so much more.

Derek awoke to a kiss being pressed o his lips, he didn't bother to open his eyes. As he had hoped the taste of Stiles filled his mouth, as the younger man deepened the kiss gently. Fingers traced through Derek's hair, nails scraping his scalp softly. Before tracing down the side of is neck, he snorted softly and flinched away from the tickling caress.

"Gotcha," Stiles said softly. As he came around from behind the couch to join the werewolf on the troublesome piece of furniture, Stiles kept his hand on the back of the older man's neck. He sat beside Derek and continued to massage his neck as he whispered, "I see you got it upstairs, Stubborn."

Derek tilted his head to the side enjoying the feel of Stiles fingers tracing his skin, "Is it me or the couch who's stubborn?" he asked.

"Knowing you, probably both," Stiles said with a smile. "Got any plans for tomorrow?" he asked seriously and it took the older man a few seconds to focus on the question.

"We already have the foundation for the addition poured it's supposed to be curing for the next few days. So yeah I'm free tomorrow."

"Good dress up okay, we have Pack business tomorrow plus I have a few surprises for you, which hopefully you won't kill me for." the teen said as he stood back up and went into the kitchen. Derek heard him rummaging in the fridge for a few seconds before he came back and settled beside his Mate.

Stiles handed the older man is beer and opened a bottle of water for himself. He cuddled into Derek's side and said, "After this we need a break, we have a school holiday coming up. I suggest we take advantage of it."

"We could take a weekend and go to the beach. Unfortunately any more than that right now and I might get in trouble with my boss." Derek said seriously.

"Reality is such a buzz kill for romance," Stiles said with an air of aggravated annoyance.

"Yeah but how well would you really like it if I followed you around like some worshipful vampire?" Derek asked with a smirk.

"Ok, ew, yeah that would be kind of creepy. Never mind then but at some point in this relationship, could we get a honeymoon phase?

I already told you, I love you, and I want you, and when you turn eighteen there will be a lot of us together sexually," Derek said huskily.

Stiles eyes suddenly lit up and he asked, "So I had this idea for when we go away together."

Derek's head fell back on the couch again and he asked the ceiling, "Why do I have the feeling you're about to test my fortitude."

"Cause you know me so well?" Stiles suggested.

"Tell me," he said as he interlocked their fingers.

"So we aren't allowed to get any more intimate than maybe some heavy petting, right?"

"Not really heavy, but no intimate touching of each other, yeah." Derek said a little suspiciously.

"Then I think we can maybe take care of our sexual frustration."

"Hold that thought, we have company, the cubs are here."

Stiles made a slightly annoyed face before rising from the couch. Lydia came through the door first with both Malia and Cora seeming to drag Allison along with them. Erica brought up the rear and closed the door behind them.

Lydia called for Stiles even though he was less than ten feet away when they had walked into the loft.

Actually the strawberry blond was looking less than put together and kind of desperate as she came up to the Alpha pair and said, "Tell her she's still part of the Pack."

The pair looked at each other confused for a second before Stiles asked, "Tell who they're still part of the Pack?"

"Allison, tell her. She is talking about going to France for the summer. Tell her she can't go, she has to stay with the Pack." Malia said clinging to her sister's arm. Stiles kind of felt sorry for Allison cause that actually looked a little painful.

"Slow down, why wouldn't Allison be part of the Pack?" Derek asked in confusion.

Allison looked around at the other girls fearfully before taking a deep breath and confessing, "Scott and I broke up."

"What? When did that happen?" Stiles asked eyebrows going up in surprise. He had thought the couple had been going strong.

She looked even more depressed and all three of the other girls looked at him like they were going to trounce Stiles if he didn't fix this. "You are always going to be part of this Pack Allison. I'm just trying to figure out what happened between you and Scott?" Stiles explained.

Allison looked at him doubtfully but explained, "Scott has been being a jerk about me hanging around with other members of the Pack. He just keeps acting like…" and for just a moment her hands flapped in the air, in an odd resemblance of Stiles.

Derek barely hid the smirk, as he wondered if Stiles had caught the fact that their pack mates were beginning to mimic the Alpha pair. He re-focused his attention when Allison mentioned the McCall boys increasingly erratic behavior as the past two weeks had progressed.

"He started saying nasty things about Dad and Poppy and even Malia and then he started saying how Stiles is a bitch in heat…" Allison said, now that she knew her place in the Pack was secure. She was clearly so furious that she was literally trembling with it.

When Derek heard the insult directed at his mate he wasn't far behind the young huntress. Which of course left it to Stiles to be the adult in the group, he shook his head at the irony.

"Alright one unless you betray this Pack I don't think we'll ever throw anyone out of the Pack. I mean look at Jackson. Even Lydia would agree that he can be a complete douche at times and he's still in the Pack, right? So don't worry about that, okay. The fact that Scott's behavior about the supernatural has become so much more profound lately is a little disturbing and we'll look into it. Go have a girls night and a good rant about men are evil and the women of the world should rise up and overthrow the male oppressive regime."

All four of the women in the room studied Stiles for a few minutes. Mixed expressions of amusement, concern, suspicion and confusion were on their faces. Cora finally said, "Stiles, you do remember that you're male, right?"

"Of course, I'm just secure enough in that masculinity to embrace my feminine side," he said with a smirk.

"And oddly enough he really does mean that," Lydia said with a charming smile as the girls walked away. Being mollified with the strawberry blonds reassurance that retail therapy was the perfect thing to overcome Allisons heartache.

Meanwhile the Alpha pair were gazing at each other a sneaking suspicion in both of their eyes. "If it did just happen a couple of weeks ago, it might have been before I put the curse on your sister. Of course Scott was kind of acting like a douche since we announced the creation of the Pack… so who knows."

Derek nodded his head thoughtfully and said, "Agreed, it may be typical teenage angst and nothing to do with the supernatural."

"Either way I think we need to look into it and find out whether it is just typical teenage stuff or Scott has been bitten and if he was who he was bitten by," Stiles whispered to his mate. "Because unless your sister has suddenly become immune to the Rede she'd be sick as a dog." he said and then realizing what he'd said.

Stiles explained, "No pun intended and near crazy wih fighting what's happening to her new pup. Pretty sure we would have heard about it if that was going on. So we have to figure out who else it might be, before this or something worse happens."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Scott startled out of the nightmare with a scream. Red eyes all around staring back at him had the dream, one pair lunged at him. He flinched violently as his body reacted instinctively to the memory. He looked down at where the bite mark should have been. Still surprised that the grievous wound had healed completely practically overnight without a scar.

He knew the most likely explanation for what was going on. He had been bitten by an Alpha werewolf. The problem was he had seen Derek in his Beta form. There were several Alphas though the night he was attacked, from what he could remember more than were in both Packs put together.

Telling who or what they would look like when they weren't in their Beta mode, Scott really hadn't had enough experience with Derek or the others in their werewolf state, to be able to do that.

Scott realized that was his fault though. He had wanted nothing to do with the werewolves in Stiles Pack. He felt like he was surrounded by freaks, now he was going to become one and it was all Stiles and Derek's fault. The things with the red eyes had told him so, which meant it was also Allison's families fault as well.

Hell at this point he was ready to blame the entire town. After all hadn't Stiles said that there was a reason that the original settlers had named the town Beacon Hills. He did need some answers though and the best place to get them were still his brother, Stiles would have the answers.

**A/N/N~ So Scott is written OOC but as everybody remembers Scott was OOC after he was bitten. So I'm writing just as erratica and scattered as that was. Hope everyone will enjoy what comes next. ~A**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N~ This chapter is really short but is kind of pivotal and while I haven't actually revealed who the victim is, I bet some of you can guess who it is. That will be revealed in the next chapter. In the meantime Happy Sterek Week and Happy Halloween. ~A**

**Chapter 35**

The Alpha pair quietly make themselves presentable as they walk up the steps to the front porch of the McCall residence. Stiles doesn't have to be a werewolf to hear Scott yelling from outside the front door.

"Mom, you invited them?" Scott yelled and Stiles having lost his mom, didn't take the disrespect to Mama McCall well.

"Yes Scott," the older woman said, and both admired the level of sarcasm, "I invited your best friend and my other son and our Alpha to join us for dinner."

Stiles and Derek glanced at one another before the teen knocked on the door. Melissa McCall answered the door and said with a smile, "Using the front door for a change instead of the window. Derek must be rubbing off on you, Stiles."

Stiles snorted uncontrollably before laughing uncontrollably for a minute while Derek ushered him into the house entryway, blushing a deep shade of pink even under his olive skin. "Sorry Mama McCall lets just say when it comes to climbing through windows, Derek is an influence just not for being against it."

"Do I need to have the talk with you two?" Mellissa said. Stiles actually had a smirk on his face as he said in amusement, "I would actually pay to see you give the talk to Derek, extra if I could record it for future generations."

When he saw the almost matching glares from his mate and Mellissa he only smiled bigger as he said, "You already gave both Scott and I that talk when we were like twelve. Single most embarrassing conversation I have ever had. Made more so by the fact my best friend was in the room with me and equally embarrassed." he reminded matter-of-factly as he gave the woman a slight bow.

"Don't worry though, Derek is an even bigger fan of my virtue than I am." When the woman looked between the two in confusion, Stiles felt the need to explain further, "We're not going to sleep together, have sex, make love whatever connotation you want to put on it until I turn eighteen."

"Oh crap no," Scott yelled from the kitchen, where he seemed to be hiding out. "TMI!"

"Please Scott!" Stiles said as he stormed into the kitchen area and said, "What is your issue?"

"My issue is I don't want to hear about you guys kissing, and what you do with each other when you spend time together." Scott said sharply.

"Why not. It's all you could talk about whenever you and Allison were together." Stiles said and there was irritation in his voice but he managed to keep his voice level and not yell back at his friend.

Derek and Mellissa were standing in the doorway to the kitchen. This wasn't really what they were supposed to be here for, but it was a matter that they apparently had to get out of the way before they got to the real issue of Scott having been bitten.

"It's not the same," Scott sneered. "He's only sleeping with you to get to your friends."

Scott suddenly found himself six feet across the room and six inches off the ground. The Beta face and Alpha eyes facing him showing how angry Derek really was. "You do not say anything like that to him ever again." Derek demanded.

"I can say whatever I like to either of you," Scott said recklessly, fearless in his assurance that Stiles would let him get away with it. "This is all your fault. You ruined my life!"

"How did we do that Scott?" Stiles asked from where he was holdng Mellissa back as Scott began to thrash in Derek's hold. "I can't bite you and Derek didn't change you. So how is it our fault?"

"You did this to me," Scott ranted, ignoring the Alpha and the Spark entirely.

"Where were you Scott?" Derek asked and when the new wolf to be ignored him. Derek's eyes flashed red and he used the Alpha voice. Unwillingly Scott exposed his throat and answered the question, "I was in the Preserve running, practicing for lacrosse."

"Scott, you know the problems we have been having with Laura. You know how dangerous she is, you know all of this. The Preserve is Hale Pack territory. Why would you pull such a bone head move?" Stiles asked with obvious exasperation as he tugged on his hair in frustrated anger.

The dark haired teens eyes flashed amber, "I thought I was under Derek's protection." He sassed in a poor imitation of Stile's voice.

"You would be," said Derek, "If you actually listened. Where were you in the Preserve?"

At first the teen looked as if he wasn't going to answer, "Scott Rafael McCall, answer the Alpha this minute." Demanded the voice of his mother, with havy emphasis on the middle name.

The boy actually flinched, before mumbling, "I was on the trail near the school."

"Oh my gawd," Stiles growled in frustration. "Scott were you not paying attention when we said that was the very edge of the Hale territory? Were you not paying attention when we said don't go there after dark, ever. You may be under Derek's protection Scott but free will is free will. If you willfully disobey the Alpha's orders, the protection is null and void, you moron."

"Figures you'd take his side," Scott said sullenly. Without another word, just growling, Stiles stepped forward around Derek and with a hard smack to the back of the head. Scott actually yelped like a wounded puppy.

"Typical," Stiles said, "What else do you remember?" the teen asked his friend in a tired but still aggravated tone.

"I was in the woods, running, I got hit, and then red eyes all around me. Too many red eyes." Scott said and actually shuddered.

"How many?" Stiles asked with trepidation.

"At least four pairs," Scott replied a little dazedly.

"That's more than both Packs have together, Scott."

"I know," the teen replied miserably.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**An hour or so later: **The Alpha pair are talking as they leave a still very upset McCall family. Stiles could see that Derek is very disturbed by this turn of events and by the revelation that it appeared several Alpha's were involved in the attack on Scott.

"At least now we know that it wasn't your sister that attacked Scott and turned him," Stiles reminded his mate.

Derek leaned his hands on the front of the Jeep and looked across the hood at his mate as he replied, "On the negative side if what I think is going on is true, nobody is going to be safe. Not really," he says and then pulls out his cell phone and adds, "I need to warn my mother, if she'll answer."

"What are you talking about?" Stiles asked feeling only a slight concern that the cat will be let out of the bag on the alliance but more concerned about what has Derek so freaked.

Before Derek can explain, his mother does answer and what follows is a rapid fire conversation that seems to be in Spanish. There is a moment when his mates eyes softened and Stiles knew the connection between mother and son was beginning to repair itself.

When he got off the phone with his other for the first time in several months. Stiles drove the Jeep as Derek explained about Alpha Packs. The explanation took quite a bit longer than Stiles had expected and was far more disturbing than the teen could have ever imagined.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**~X~**

The man ran down the hallway, trying to get away from the things chasing him. He had cancelled is dinner with his wife this evening in order to show a piece of property to some clients from out of town. It was a commercial property an old bank that was still in excellent condition.

He had thought it a little unusual that they wanted to see the property in the evening hours but figured that they were coming from out of town and were only available to see the property in the evening hours.

He was in good shape but there were at least four of them and he was only a Beta they were all Alpha's. Then he felt something slam into the side of his head. If he had been more of a target and less of a message, the Alphas would have probably tortured him longer, apparently though he wasn't worth the effort as the claws ripped though his throat just as he started to come around. His wife and children were all he could think of as the light faded from his bottle green eyes.

**~X~**

Scott lunged up out of bed with a scream and checking his fingers for blood as he had felt his own clawed fingers rip out the mans throat.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Allison was talking about her issues with Scott the next day as they were heading to school. Lydia was driving her cute little car and answering her friend absently. Allison assumed that she was just concentrating on her driving.

Then she realized that they were heading down an alley and nowhere near the school. As a matter of fact the pair were all the way on the other end of town. "Lydia, where are we going?" she asked.

Instead of answering her friend the shorter girl got out of her car and started wandering down the alley. Surprisingly steady on her high heels in the debris laden alleyway, Ludia moved further to the dead end at the end of this alley..

Allison heard her friend begin to whimper as they moved closer to a particularly large trash pile. Then suddenly se was yanking trash bags off of the pile and throwing them to the other side of the alley. Her keening growing in volume, as she became more desperate in uncovering whatever was under the pile.

"Lydia what…." Allison said.

A screech erupted from the strawberry blonds lips as she removed a final bag of garbage. The screech increased in volume until Allison was kneeling on the ground the palms of her hands compressed into her ears as tears flowed from her eyes. Her head felt as if it were on fire. Lydia crashed to her knees beside her in the trash covered alleyway. Her own eyes glassy as she fell toward Allison as her voice fell silent finally.

Allison pulled her friend closer trying to console her as she continued to whimper. As she called the Sheriff on his cell phone to report the murder, of an unfamiliar older man.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N~ Sorry for the late post. Having compute issues. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon. Please read, enjoy and review. I need reviews. I'm starving. ~A**

**Chapter 36**

By the time Deputy Jordan Parrish had arrived, Allison had managed to get a shell shocked Lydia Martin to the end of the alley way and sitting in her car. The brunette had been speaking soothingly to the strawberry blond. Her Dad had to go out of town on business but her Poppa was still in town.

He was at work though and at first she wasn't sure if she should call him about this or not. He was a surgeon and a very famous one she had found out from her Dad. Apparently he had kept track of Peter even though they weren't allowed to interact, Chris Argent had apparently kept a scrapbook of Peter's achievements even medical articles that he had written.

Chris had gotten a kick out of showing both of their daughters the record he had kept of the doctor. She pressed speed dial, absently and then realizing what she had done she was trying to hang up, when she heard Peter pick up after the first ring. "Allison? Is anything wrong?" the voice came through the line calm but concerned.

"We found a dead body," Allison said without preamble and then continued, "I know you're on duty right now but…Lydia is a little freaked out and the cops will probably keep us for questioning and I didn't want you to worry."

"Where are you right now?" Peter said soothingly. She had only seen her father at work a couple of times but he must have been very popular with his patients with such an incredible bedside manner.

"We're at the end of that alley near the corner of Shamrock and Memorial," Allison said glancing at the street signs quickly, "Poppa I'm pretty sure that Lydia is in shock and I don't know what to tell the deputy about how we found the body."

Peter thought quickly and said, "There is a consignment shop around the corner from where you are. Tell him you were trying to find a shortcut to try and do a little window shopping before school. I'll be there in a minute. I do have a question though, sweetie. Did you have to prove your Alley Cat nickname." He heard his daughter laugh and considered it a victory.

He let the duty nurse know that he was talking a break and headed out the front doors. He wished he still had his Lotus Evora if only for the speed. He had become, in a matter of a few weeks, a father of two teenage daughters with a mate. He was a family man, he needed a more traditional family car. So he and Chris had gone out and chosen a Land Rover Sport, Galway Green exterior with Almond and Nutmeg interiors and really who came up with these names.

Within just a few minutes he was at the alley way, and out of the SUV and striding over to pull his daughter into his arms, "Everything's going to be fine."

"Lydia look at me," he said pulling out a pen light and checking the other girls pupils

"I'm fine," the strawberry blond said with a weak approximation of her usual sass.

"I think this time I'll be the judge of that Ms. Martin," Peter said smoothly. "Now

where were you going when you left the house this morning?"

"To school," then in a flash of anger she said, "I had a Math test this morning, damn it."

"I'm sure that we can work out a retake of the test for you Lydia. Fairly sure that finding a dead body is a certifiable reason to have a re-test." Peter said reassuringly. "Ok do you remember what drew you here?"

Her eyebrows creased as she thought about it, "I just felt drawn here," she said with a shrug.

Peter nodded and asked, "Alright Lydia one last thing. You're doing really well. What's my name?"

"Dr. Peter Hale-Argent. Uncle-in-law extraordinaire." she snarked.

"Good girl," Peter said with a little bit of pride as he smiled at his daughter's best friend.

"So how is she doc?" Parrish asked.

"I think she is a strong young woman who will be just fine but she is also going to speak to her mother about all of this later this evening. In the meantime Deputy would you mind writing a note to explain why Lydia and Allison were late this morning. Lydia will call me if she has any issues later today. And if I remember correctly you will still have time to take your Math test," Peter said with a hopeful smile.

"Fine yeah, I can do that. I'm glad you're doing better Lyd- Ms. Martin," Parrish said with a slight blush as he began writing a note for Lydia and Allison explaining what had happened and as an afterthought asked. "Dr. Hale I was wondering if you could pronounce the victim dead that way we can go ahead and let the crime scene techs do their thing. I mean since you're here anyway."

Peter checked his watch but agreed, "Yes fine of course. I still have fifteen minutes before I have to be back at work." He said as he headed down the alleyway where the deputy had already carefully removed the rest of the refuse from around the body.

The man's back was torn up, clawed to shreds by something larger than a normal animal. Peter checked the man's carotid first. Only to find the man's throat had also been ripped open. He looked around and said, Deputy Parrish I would say that this poor man wasn't killed here. Considering the wound to blood ratio, it would be a lot messier here. I'm going to turn him now." he informed the deputy.

Parrish was paying more attention to what he was writing. Then he heard a distressed cry from the doctor followed by a mournful howl that reminded him of something you might hear from a wounded animal. He looked back into the alley to find the doctor standing away from the body and he heard a slightly strangled voice from Dr. Hale. "Deputy you will have to call someone else to pronounce and attend this body." he said and the voice he used had Allison come running.

"Pop what's wrong?" she said rushing to his side.

He grabbed Allison's wrist as he backed away from the body, He looked at Parrish and said, "Please have someone notify my sister, Talia. The…the deceased is her husband David, my brother-in-law.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Jackson was getting changed in the locker room. It had been a good practice, at least partially because most of his Pack had been watching and cheering he and the other Pack members on. Boyd was a powerhouse as always, Issac was fast and agile, Danny was fast at stopping the ball from going in the net. Lydia and Allison were still trying to catch up on classes from being tardy.

Ms. Dart had not been appreciative that the principal himself had ordered a retake of the math test. When she had complained that the retest would interfere with her classes he had said not to trouble herself and he himself would give the test, she looked particularly murderous.

Mr. Culver had been a math teacher with a degree from Cal Tech. When the girls had both received an A from the principal, Lydia an A+ and Allison an A-, she insisted on re-grading the test only to discover no errors in the grading process. This had been found out when Danny had come to practice late having stayed behind in the library where the test had been conducted to talk to the girls.

The two new students having nothing to do with the interest the young Hawaiian had in talking to the girls. Yes everyone had been curious about the new students. Cora and Jackson didn't know why but they were in agreement that they didn't trust or like the twins.

True the pair were good looking and seemed quite studious although neither seemed a great fan of Ms. Dart or Math for that matter. Cora cheered them for that, and they had a keen sense of style and how to make an entrance. Which Jackson could appreciate, there was just something about them that made the pair tense and uncomfortable.

The twin boys were blond, handsome and yet there was also something they both recognized as enemy. He knew this just as surely as he knew how many steps he had to take to make the next goal. Which of the other players would be the most likely to have a face off with him and,,, suddenly McCall was in his face.

And for the first time during practice Jackson was on the ground. The field went dead silent around them.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N~ So this one actually made me cry. So tearjerker warning as the Beacon Hills Pack mourns a loss along with the Hale Pack. There is also some douchebaggery at the start of the chapter. Yes, I think we are actually making that a word. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 37**

Jackson knew he was being a douche when he told the other players not to pass to McCall. The other boy was seriously pissing him off though. Jackson had never used his werewolf powers while playing lacrosse. For one thing he was still fairly new at the whole werewolf thing and wasn't sure he could maintain control well enough not to draw attention to himself or potentially injure one of his team mates.

He didn't really want to deal with that can of worms. Apparently McCall wasn't so concerned with exposing himself or the other werewolves in Beacon Hills. Even Stiles was looking anxious, as once again the dark haired teen took a run at Jackson and this time when they both rose from the dirt, Scott's eyes were actually glowing golden. This time Jackson couldn't help the answering flash of his own golden eyes.

Stiles was suddenly there dragging Scott into a headlock and off the field. Danny was there and drew him into a manly hug, telling him under his breath to calm down and take a breath. Jackson leaned his head forward and would have liked nothing better than to rub his face into his friends shoulder. Instead after taking a deep breath of Danny's scent he leaned his head back and rolled it around on his shoulders.

After several clicks and cracks as his muscles and bones moved back into their proper places. That was how hw knew he should probably take a break. He had started to shift, the sounds his body were making were all the parts moving back to where they belonged.

He asked his friend to walk with him back to the bench, pretending to be slightly injured from his clash with McCall. He leaned heavily on the taller teen as they walked back it gave him the chance to draw in Danny's scent. He didn't mind McCall being on the team. It actually would make things easier for him, Pack would make things easier, calmer for Jackson. Scott though seemed to see Jackson as a threat or something if his reaction was any indication.

Jackson knew he had been a douche to the smaller teen at times but he was a douche to everyone not in his current clique. He knew this and it was something he was working on improving. Actually he was trying to improve on several aspects of his personality…otherwise known as his attitude. The reason for the attempted improvements? Cora.

He had discovered that he like the she wolf. She had a little attitude herself but only to the idiots who deserved it.. He had been on the receiving end of it when he was being particularly douchey or just plain idiotic. Like right now. Good thing this was just a practice skirmish and not the real thing, otherwise he and McCall both might have exposed themselves and the rest of the Pack to every Tom, Dick, and Hunter.

His shoulders hunched automatically and he braced himself for the smack to the head before he even knew that Cora was behind him. Being a borne wolf had its advantages like being able to sneak up on a bitten wolf undetected.

Sure enough the smack to the back of the head came from the beautiful brunette. Followed closely by her head leaning over his shoulder as she whispered, "You ok Jax?"

Her hair grazed across his face and he inhaled deeply, and nearly shuddered in relief and something he wasn't quite sure how to identify. It was almost as if his wolf shook out his fur under Jackson's skin. "Better now." he told the girl honestly. Then in a lower tone he knew only she'd be able to hear, "McCall is…"

"Yeah, I know, I saw. You handled it well, very well. My mom used to call it testing limits. Trying to see how far you can go before you get slapped down for it. We had a few in the Pack who did it. Should probably tell Derek about it."

"What's he going to do?" Jackson asked. "McCall isn't even one of his."

"At one time, neither were you Jax." Cora reminded him gently.

"Whittemore, if you're done dating on my time, can we get back to practice since McCall and Billinski have opted out." Jackson blushed at Coach Finstock's reprimand but put his helmet back on as he muttered, "See you in a bit."

He was in the zone, so were the rest of the guys on the team. He had tried to use his werewolf hearing to find out what was going on with Stiles and McCall. He heard the two boys in what he would assume was the locker room from the echo.

Stiles was talking the other boy through either an asthma or panic attack or some combination of the two. He didn't think that werewolves could get panic attacks, but then this was McCall. He tended to make mountains where there weren't any.

He heard a cell phone ring and that broke him out of trying to listen in on the two in the locker room. Which was good because he felt the itch of his fingers as they were trying to turn into claws. He had just brought these gloves and breaking them in didn't include making holes for his claws in the fingertips.

He froze, a keening noise was coming from under or behind the bleachers, it wasn't the noise itself that drew his attention but the voice. Jackson was moving before anyone else recognized he was moving. Despite Finstock's screams to get back in the game Jackson found Cora huddled on the ground under the bleachers behind some mechanical box for the pitch.

He lifted her onto his lap and saw she had her fist shoved into her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Her phone was discarded nearby and he grabbed it and despite a slight qualm about personal space, read the last caller, "Allison."

He did his beat to drape his body protectively over the young woman as he tried to comfort her the best that he could.

He had never really found out why Allison and Lydia were late this morning, school gossip ran rampant with speculation. Because the two girls were running late they hadn't really been able to meet with the other Pack members. Danny had only been able to watch from a distance as they took their make-up tests.

Cora was shattered though she was still trying hard not to howl out her misery, unable to make any sounds other than the most base noises. Jackson found himself trying to redial Allison with claws and finally just gave up and did something he had never done before, he howled.

It was cracked and painful sounding and he knew he shouldn't do it anywhere near people, but he needed help. No Cora did and he needed to know what Allison had told her. Boyd, Issac, and then Danny were there instantly. Stiles was there soon after and Scott McCall although obviously disgruntled about it was there soon after. Then the girls Erica and Malia, followed finally by Allison and a rather wan looking Lydia.

Allison took one look at the boy huddled around the Hale child and moved forward to kneel beside the pair. "Cora," she said brokenly, "I'm sorry I thought it would be better if you heard it from Pack and not the police first honey."

Jackson heard the older girls genuine remorse and modulated his tone as much as he could as he said, "What did you tell her? Allison, what's happened?"

"Her father's dead, someone murdered him." Allison answered painfully.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was in the Jeep within minutes. He had ordered Jackson and the others to stay with Cora. Malia and Allison were to go find Peter and stay with him. Chris unfortunately was still out of town on business but was supposed to be home later this afternoon. Stiles had recommended that they try and call Chris and see if he could get home earlier. He practically ordered the other Pack members to finish their classes and come back to the loft directly afterward.

Meantime he skipped and was gone before anyone even noticed. He took the back roads knowing with the murder that his father and his fathers deputies would be out in force on the main roads. He found himself outside the loft and taking the stairs two at a time. Hoping he'd get there before his mate found out.

Stiles was out of breath by the time he slammed the door back on its track. He knew instantly he hadn't made it. Bottle green eyes awash with tears stared back at him. The teen was in front of Derek in an instant before he could rise from the couch. The older man simply leaned forward and his forehead leaned into Stiles abdomen and his arms wrapped around the teens waist.

Stiles hands wrapped around Derek's shoulders and he curved his body around the werewolves head and shoulders, "I've got you, baby." He said in a soothing voice, Stiles own eyes filling at how broken his mate was.

This was Derek's father, the man who raised him, the man who's leather jacket Derek wore like a protective barrier between himself and the rest of the world. Stiles then thought about the meeting that he and Derek were supposed to be going to this evening. A meeting to heal the rift between the two Packs, between Derek and his family.

He tried not to think how bad the timing for Mr. Hale's murder was, he tried not to think about how truly devastated Derek's mom must be. The body wouldn't be returned immediately to the family. That in itself would be devastating as werewolves preferred to inter there dead in a ritual to insure they wouldn't come back and that no one would be able to desecrate the remains. Consequently it would also keep DNA from being taken. "Oh Crap!"

With one hand still wrapped around Derek's shoulders, Stiles fished his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed one on his speed dial. "Dad, we have a problem, you can't let them do too many invasive procedures on Mr. Hale's body. Tell them they can't because its against the Hale's religion. Not even on any of the blood or tissue evidence."

There was a response from the other end and Stiles said, "Yeah, Dad, I know. But he's a werewolf, and you haven't got the families permission and you notify them yourself. All by yourself, no other deputies. It's just proper protocol. Also make sure the body is guarded until some one from the Pack gets there. Tell them that's also a religious thing because it is."

The answer this time was so loud even Derek heard it and flinched slightly only to be soothed by his mate as Stiles responded testily, "Why didn't I tell you this before. Well let's see maybe I was kind of hoping we wouldn't have to practice the death rites of werewolves in a pack so young. I also certainly was hoping that Derek, Peter, Cora and the others wouldn't have to bury a family member at least not for a few more decades."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then his father responded in a more calming tone to which Stiles gave a slight huff, "Cora is beside herself, but the Pack is with her. Peter was there so I imagine you saw how he is, Allison and Malia are going over there to be with him. They never really met Mr. Hale so they're not sure how to feel. Chris will be back this afternoon, so hopefully things will be better when he gets back."

An even quieter query and Stiles said in a more subdued tone, "I've got Derek, Dad. Who better than someone who knows what its like to loose a parent?" There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Stiles finally added, "Dad there's usually a ceremony just after dark of the day of the death. We need to get as much of the Pack over here as we can, this afternoon. Tell them to wear dark clothes, doesn't have to be fancy, but they do have to be dark. Yeah and tell them no perfume or cologne." Stiles hangs up the cell phone and just holds on to Derek.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Talia Hale was sitting by a fire she had started behind the house. Her eyes glowed just as brightly as the embers of the fire, even through her tears. Laura had to be sedated, bad enough she seemed to be going mad. Now this.

Many members of her Pack had assumed and even stated outright that this was obviously an attack on their Pack by her son's new Pack. If it were anyone else she probably would have agreed. If it hadn't been for the dinner she had with her son's emissary and mate last night.

The boy, who would have bristled at being called that, had not lied. She was willing to bet her claws on that fact. There was not a hint of subterfuge in his scent. His heart had beat steady and true throughout the entire meeting. Stiles did not lie. Deaton her own emissary would prevaricate, trying to get around the wolves lie detecting abilities by making vague statements, or wording his answers so he didn't quite lie. Talia however being a lawyer had still learned to detect the difference.

Then she heard it, the mournful howl of a wolf, followed closely by another, then another, several more soon followed. Before the first had even finished, she was joined by most of the rest of her Pack, she looked to her right and felt actual physical pain at the absence of her mate standing there. There were angry murmurs from several of the Pack.

Talia shifted only to Beta form and was running toward the howling. She felt only a slight tingle as they ran from the perimeter of their territory. It caused a slight hitch in her stride as her blended animal/human brain tried to figure out what that was. A signal or warning of some kind that they were coming perhaps, so the other Pack could escape.

The mournful howl of the other Alpha began again, followed by the others of his Pack She and the rest of her Pack came out into a clearing she recognized easily. The remains of the Nemeton stood in the center of the clearing on the opposite side of the ancient tree stood her son and his Pack.

All of them were dressed in black or dark colors, and all of them were now quiet. Tiki torches led the way to the Nemeton, and as she stood there with her muttering and growling Pack, her head tilted trying to understand what she was seeing.

Her son stepped away from his own Pack and toward the Nemeton, the Spark who was his mate stepped forward to take his place at the head of the Pack. "Beacon Hills Pack mourns with you the loss of Adam Hale, your mate, your father, your blood. We are of one blood and as one Pack we suffer his loss together. He will…." a catch in his throat was obvious as he stumbled over his words.

"He will be missed," and without pause his eyes glowing red he unsheathed the claws on his left hand. Making a fist, he forced the claws into his own flesh as blood dripped freely onto the surface of the Nemeton, he continued, "He will be avenged."

Stiles moved up beside Derek and in a lupine move nudged into the older werewolf, rubbing against him to transfer their scents to each other.. He moved closer to the Nemeton and then looking into Talia's steady gaze his eyes went black as he drew a knife and then slashed it across his palm. "We are one in this. He will be avenged."

Peter stepped from amidst the Pack but Talia saw something that shocked her, four others stepped forward with him. The others hung back as he stepped forward, eyes glowing blue, her brother mimicked her son, only he made both hands into fists as he held them over the Nemeton he said, "Adam will be missed and he will be avenged."

When the silver haired hunter stepped forward there was a growl that went up from her Pack only to be supplanted by her own snarl. A knife slash across the palm and, "The brother of my mate will be avenged."

There was shifting among the Hale Pack members at that statement. Then the two girls stepped forward, Allison and Malia. Moist brown eyes met dry glowing blue, Allison drew her ring dagger and the two each wrapped a hand around the blade. The two girls stared at Talia, as Allison drew the blade from their palms and the blood welled out and dripped onto the Nemeton. They spoke at the same time but their voices were clear and powerful, "Our uncle will be missed," said Allison. "Our uncle will be avenged," said Malia.

Issac stepped up between the pair and held his hand out, Allison quickly drew the blade across his open palm and he added his blood to the growing pool on the surface of the old tree stump. "The father of our Alpha will be avenged." He said and when he looked up his eyes glowed gold.

Cora stepped forward next, long brown hair was pulled back away from her tear stained face, "My fath…", her breath caught on a sob and a handsome young blond man stepped forward. Hands held her shoulders and a kiss placed to the back of Cora's head.

Talia nearly growled in maternal concern, Cora was too young for a mate bond, she thought, but controlled herself in the face of such a display. Cora drew a wavering breath and continued, "My father will be missed and he will be avenged."

Jackson ripped at his own hand with the claws of the other and held the freely bleeding hand over Cora's. As the girl turned her face into his chest and sobbed softly. He stared at Talia and her Pack but the words were as much for Cora as them as he said, "He will be avenged."

So it continued through all of the members of her son's Pack, Erica and Boyd eyes flashing gold as they added their blood to the flow that now began to drip over the sides of the ancient tree. The Sheriff and Mrs. McCall who used his knife to cut their palms. Danny and Lydia who had clearly been crying for a while.

The only one missing was one the Hale's didn't even notice as being absent. Stiles did though as did the rest of the Pack. Scott was glaringly not in attendance. Nothing else was said, Derek Hale shifted partially and howled his grief, followed by his fellow Pack members, including one from somewhere in the distance. Then as if ripped from her throat against her will Talia Hale also howled in grief followed by near and distant members of her own Pack.

When the Hale Pack were finished with their display of grief, they looked across the clearing to find that the other Pack had respectfully withdrawn. Melting into the shadows of the surrounding forest, Talia ached for the loss of her mate and for the loss of her two youngest children. Her brother, who she had betrayed so badly, she now realized.

Again her grief escaped her in another mournful howl, this time there was more than just sorrow in the howl. Rage boiled into the voice of the Alpha wolf. Soon the hunt would begin for the murderer of her mate. A hunt which would apparently include the Pack of her son.

**A/N/N~ Happy Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is able to enjoy the holiday with their families and friends. The next chapter to this will not be posted until after the beginning of December, so that I may do the same. Happy Holidays all!**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N~ So it's a little late but I'm using the excuse of the holidays and decorating and so forth. Posting will be sporadic because of the holidays, so you are forewarned. As always thank you for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. ~A**

**Chapter 38**

Scott gunned the engine on his motorbike. He maintained the speed going up the highway toward the turnoff for the overlook. He was honest enough to admit that he was still upset due to the break-up with Allison. He thought that they were having a cooling off period and then getting back together. Instead she had started dating Issac.

Then he had gotten scolded by Stiles and his mom for nearly wolfing out in the scrimmage. He was upset for Cora and the loss of her father but for some reason he couldn't show the appropriate sense of sorrow because of his own issues with his dad and with becoming a werewolf.

He had thought it would be more appropriate to stay away from the weird grieving rite so his potential insincerity wouldn't cause trouble. Then his mom had scolded him for his lack of support for both his Pack and the grieving Hale Pack.

They had then had a rather loud argument with Scott denying that the Beacon Hills or Hale Pack were neither of them his Pack. The upshot was that Scott left the house rather than potentially wolf out or doing something equally stupid.

As he was riding along trying to avoid the police as he was out after curfew. He had decided to go out to the overlook where he and Allison had spent some good times. Only to find that the road to the overlook has been washed out and although his bike is probably sturdy enough to make it over the washed out sections even with werewolf vision in the pitch black he knows he could just as easily break his neck.

Something he's not sure even a werewolf would recover from. Plus, it's the middle of nowhere and the chances of someone coming along is unlikely. He could probably hike it well enough, but Scott doesn't want to leave his precious bike in the middle of nowhere while he climbs to the overlook. So he turns back and instead heads back into town, he stops at a gas station and fills up the bike. He ignores it when two other bikes pull up near his.

He is caught up in his memories of Allison when the pump finally clicks off and he turned and finally noticed the bikes that had pulled in behind him. He calls out to the helmeted pair who are sitting astride the bikes unmoving, "Nice bikes."

The pair look at each other for a minute as if they were having a silent conversation before he turns and straps on his own helmet. He is looking down to turn on the ignition and so when he looks back up he is shocked to see one of the helmeted riders standing in front of his bike. Scott tilted his head in confusion when the other bike rider yanks him off his bike and his helmet goes flying.

Then he hears one of them and recognizes the voice as one of them. One of the Pack that had changed him. He sees the red eyes glowing through the visors of their helmets. They drag him away from his bike probably trying to get him away from his only real escape route.

As they hold him down one of them using what he assumes is supposed to be an Alpha voice tries to demand he come with them, it doesn't work though, he is able to resist.

There is a screech of tires as an all too familiar Porsche pulls into the gas station it comes within inches of smashing into the two bikes. Jackson and Danny pop out of either side of the car. Danny stays on the far side of the car and reaches back into the floor board as Boyd manages to unfold himself from the back of the miniscule car.

The two werewolves transform into a Super werewolf but before the group can actually start a fight. Danny pulls out what he had been digging for. Two jars of Lydia's powder and throws it at the Super Wolf.

The throw isn't a direct hit but close enough for whatever the powder is inside to cause the two to separate and run back to their bikes and ride away. Jackson pulls Scott to his feet as he teases the goalie, "I think we need to work on your pitching Danny that was truly weak."

"My pitching arm, is just fine." Danny denies, "I'm not a killer, besides I'm sure nobody wants to kill anyone on video or in front of witnesses." Indicating the front of the convenience store where there are at least three people including the clerk staring out the windows in horror at the group. "Doesn't mean I'm going to let anyone go after a member of our Pack either."

Those words hit Scott in the gut as he remembers what he said during the argument with his Mom. His shoulders drop a little as he realizes he's been treating these people like they were the enemy when they hadn't done anything to deserve it. Well maybe Jackson deserved it since they had been enemies for a while before all of this started but the other Betas and recently yes even Jackson didn't deserve what Scott had been dishing out. His softly mumbled, "Thanks guys," is heard and goes a long way in soothing ruffled feathers over the Beta's recent behavior.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mary walked into the loft and isn't surprised to notice contractors hard at work on all of the levels of the industrialized space. Painters, tile men, plumbers and electricians were scattered around the structure but she wasn't looking for a worker she was looking for her apprentice.

The door to the area that was generally known as the Loft was propped open. Several workers were moving in and out conferring with the handsome man she had working as her supervising architect. Derek Hale had a long tall table set up in front of the wall of glass. The early morning sunlight ghosting the younger man in a nimbus of light as he worked and explained and kept the workers on point.

He had already worked his way to the point that the project was at least three months ahead of schedule. The young man was going to save her a ton of money, not that that was so important right now. As soon as she walked into the room the permeation of sorrow was evident. Derek was hiding it well but Mary had a few years to develop her empathic skills.

She was also well aware that Derek and Stiles were involved and that the pair were soul mates. It would be a devastating blow for both of them if anything were to happen to the other. Right now though she needed to speak to her student and since it was a school holiday, talking to Derek was the best way to find her student and get him back to work.

She realized it was rather cruel to interrupt the young Alpha considering his recent loss. He was clearly still grieving his face was a little haggard and his usual disheveled appearance was even more pronounced. She observed the young man for several minutes as in between the little meetings he would make notes on a pad nearby. She was sure he knew she was there and as they had met before knew who she was, she chalked it up to being absorbed in his work.

Mary then noticed something a little odd. In between the impromptu meetings with the crew members he would step back to lean against the wall of windows for a few seconds. As if he were being recharged he would return to working after a moment or two as if nothing had happened. The second time it had happened she noticed the hand that reached up from the other side and touched the outside of the windows.

The older woman moved around the perimeter of the room, doing her best to stay out of the way of the workmen. Derek however spotted her almost before she got to one side of the room. He tensed slightly and glanced back over his shoulder. Then the Alpha relaxed and behind him Stiles stood from where he had been sitting in a relaxed meditative pose.

Scars, marks and moles marred the pale skin of Stiles back as he stretched and rose up on the toes of his feet. Mary continued to observe as Derek continued to gaze at the younger man as he finally lowered back to the balls of his feet and came in through the concealed door in the glass panes of the loft window.

A smile graced Stiles lips as he wrapped his arms around the waist of the werewolf. The bearded man brought his hands up to caress Stiles cheeks gently and then the Spark said without looking away from his mate, "Good morning Mary. What are you doing here on this fine and beautiful morning?"

The older woman couldn't help it, the boys good humor was infectious. Thank goodness, she really did love the boy as if he were one of her own cubs and the fact that he clearly loved his mate was a bittersweet thing to her especially since Derek felt the same about the younger man. "I'm here to drag you off and torture you, of course." Derek's head snapped around and the red eyes pinned Mary. Only the distracted workers kept them from seeing those eyes and Mary's mischievous smile.

The Alpha relaxed minutely as the Spark rubbed his back soothingly and said, "Aren't you the one who said, let sleeping bears lie? Yes I know that's not the quote but I'm trying to go a week without dog jokes."

"How far have you gotten with that?" Mary asked curiously.

Stiles looked at the watch on Derek's wrist and said, "Four hours and seventeen minutes."

Mary merely smiled as she replied "Well I have a way to hopefully keep us both out of trouble, we go practice."

"Mary I know magic is a muscle but right now I'm so built up I make Derek look like a starved child from a third world country or something." Stiles said in a frustrated tone.

"And you do remember what you said is coming our way don't you?" Mary asked.

Stiles actually flinched at the memory of his dreams lately, Derek looked at the younger man with curiosity an concern. The younger man merely stroked Derek's back as he continued to comfort the older man. She watched as the roles continued to switch back and forth between the pair.

Derek would probably be reluctant to admit it but the pair were perfectly matched for each other. Strength or comfort whenever the other needed it. Today was Stiles turn apparently to be the supporter, the comfort, the strength of the foundation that was when Mary realized separating the two even for training was going to be a challenge.

That was fine, she could adapt on the move. "Is there a space nearby that we can use young Alpha?"

"I would say the balcony is close enough," Stiles said with a smirk until he saw Mary practically glowering at him, "but I guess that would be impractical because it's a bit exposed and smallish and yeah you know such like."

Even Derek was gazing at him with a little exasperation as he said, "I can stand to be without you for a couple of hours, Stiles. Just remember the funeral is this afternoon at dusk, so we need to start getting ready about four." He looked at Mary then and said, "Is that enough time for you Ms. Spenser?"

The witch stared at the werewolf and replied, "It should be more than enough time Alpha, my sympathies for your loss. May I trouble you for a ride to the ceremony this evening?"

Stiles for a change didn't say anything. Planning and making arrangements for his father's funeral was purely an Alpha thing. "We'll be going in my SUV, Cora is going with Jackson, Danny, and Issac are with Lydia, Erica and Boyd are going together, and Scott is going to go with Mellissa and the Sheriff should be arriving together. We should have plenty of room, Ms. Spenser."

Stiles had a slightly goofy and smitten grin on his face as he stared at the Alpha with nothing less than an adoring expression on his face. The werewolf was staring back down at the plans on the tabletop. Then their hands seemed to reach out to each other of their own volition. Hands clasped for a few minutes before Stiles seemed to come back to himself and he said to Mary, "Well we better get to work I guess."

They headed down to the area Derek had decided would be one of the last at he spaces in the building to be worked on and began using more aggressive spells than they had used before. The offensive spells were limited to the space and they used a special protective circle around the space to limit the damage done to the structure and surrounding areas. Which made the exercise even more challenging, Stiles loved it. Derek actually had to come get them when it was time for them to get ready for the funeral.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Danny waited patiently outside of his house for Lydia. Okay maybe not that patiently, he was Hawaiian after all. Ties and monkey suits were really not his thing. He reminded himself as once again he stripped the attempted tie knot out of his silk tie as he waited outside of his house for Lydia to pick him up.

He groaned softly to himself, his parents were both at work at the moment or he would have had one of them help him with the annoying piece of cloth. He hoped he could convince Lydia to help him with it, although she might consider it a fashion no-no, since being the son of the mayor she would say that he should have known how by now.

"Hey you need a little help with that?" asked a slightly familiar voice from behind him. Danny turned to see the grinning face of Ethan Collins. He was one of the twins who had recently transferred into the school. He and his twin Aiden were both handsome but where Aiden struck Danny as cold and brutal there was something sweet in Ethan.

"Yeah I never really was good at this thing," he said holding up the slightly bedraggled looking strip of cloth up a little dejectedly.

"It's not that big a deal. Come here," he said tucking his sunglasses into his collar as he took the tie from Danny and tried to smooth it out with his fingertips. "Nice suit by the way, are you going to a wedding?"

"Nah, a funeral unfortunately." Danny said and then watched as the slightly shorter teen wrapped the tie around his neck and bit his lip as he tied the tie easily.

"I'm sorry to hear that, not part of your family I hope." Ethan asked and Danny didn't answer for a minute. Finally he said, "Yeah actually he is, distant family, but yeah he is, or was."

The other teen looked up at him in guilt and remorse. Before he looked back at the tie and said, "I'm sorry to hear that."

He then adjusted Danny's collar and straightened the tie. "There you go all done." Ethan said but instead of backing away he smoothed Danny's hair back into place and gave the other teen a breath mint. Instead of shaking it out to the other's hand. He shook it into his own hand and slipped the mint between Danny's lip and the Hawaiian teen drew in a sharp breath of surprise.

"Hey, how long does the funeral last?" asked the blond teen.

"Don't know, couple of hours I guess, why?" Danny said as he saw Lydia turn down his street.

"Want to meet me for coffee after?"

"Sure, where?"

"There's a place near where we're staying called Café Euro. Kind of poshy but they have good coffee and great ice cream. They're open till ten tonight. Meet you there," he said taking the sunglasses off of the t-shirt and pushing them up his nose before walking off down the street, just as Lydia pulled up to the curb.

"Did I just here you make a date?" Lydia asked as he climbed into the car.

"Maybe," Danny said his cheeks slightly pinked.

"Only you Danny Mahealani, could make a date before a funeral," she said with a small smile of affection, as she pulled away from the curb.


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N~ Hope everyone had a Happy Holidays this past year. I also hope everyone will have a great New Year. Had a good break and hope it has gotten the juices flowing again and that the Chapters will be coming easier. Brace yourself cause in a couple of chapters it's going to be another jump in things happening in the story. ~A**

**Chapter 39**

The Pack were gathered at the loft for a meeting. Mary had been called back East by a former member of her old Pack and had left soon after the funeral of the Hale Pack patriarch. The Argent-Hale's were there Cora, Malia, and Allison were practically vibrating with excitement. It only took a few moments of Peter arriving from his shift for the rest of their family to find out why.

Chris explained slowly, "I received the divorce papers from Victoria a few days ago. I didn't want to tell you until I had made arrangements. I'm still not sure this is the best time to do this, but the loss of your brother is an indicator of how precious time is, and not to waste it." He said before taking to bended knee and pulling a small jewelry bag out of his jacket pocket. Stiles literally had to bite his cheek to keep from giggling at the expression on Peter's face.

He looked over and was grateful to find Danny videoing the entire thing He directed the Hawaiian to make sure to get the older werewolves expression as the hunter continued. "With that in mind, and our daughters and family here to witness, Peter Hale will you do me the immense pleasure of agreeing to marry me?"

For the first time in probably his entire life, Peter was speechless. He didn't even let the gasps and aw's from their enamored audience distract him. His focus was divided between the Chris' hopeful face and the gorgeous ring nestled into the small metal box.

The ring had no jewels but was thick white gold hollowed so that a gold carved wolf prowled across the surface of the ring. Peter's vision was of course sharper than a regular humans so he could see the microscopic nicks and abrasions on the ring that would occur from normal wear and tear. The ring was obviously old, antique probably and maybe even an heirloom. All that said though it was the heartbeat of his lover that really drew his attention. Strong and steady without a hint of doubt or worry. Just like his own.

"Yes, yes I will marry you," Peter said he thought he had shouted it to the heavens, but the way the humans in the Pack were leaning forward he hadn't. He had only managed a strained whisper but it was enough for Chris to hear and he whooped in excitement as he leaped to his feet and pulled the other man into his embrace.

After a minute of intense hugging that the werewolf swore may have fractured even his ribs he and Chris fumbled the ring onto his finger and then Chris pulled out it's match and the pair repeated the process. The pair were being congratulated by the rest of the Pack when Derek received a phone call.

When he looked up from the phone Stiles was at the angry Alpha's side in seconds. He placed a hand on his mate's shoulder as the older man spoke into the phone intensely. Derek only got quiet and intense like that when he was furious.

When he lifted his eyes from the floor as he ended the phone call, Derek's eyes were glowing ruby red. "Peter, Duke is at the house. He's…brought his Alpha Pack with him and he is demanding mom accept him as her mate." Everyone in the room including the new members of the Pack could tell this was a bad thing. Even though they didn't know who this Duke was, they could tell from their Alpha's tone of voice, the idea was revolting.

The fact that this new werewolf was doing this within a week of the death of the Alpha's mate made even Jackson growl in anger. Although thy had enough vehicles for everyone it was faster to travel cross country for the werewolves.

Chris drove his SUV, although they tried to talk him out of it Danny demanded he go with them and sat in the middle of the back seat. Allison sat behind her father and Lydia sat behind Stiles. Stiles looked over at Chris Argent and said, "Any shortcuts, back roads, no roads you know. Take them. I'll keep the car together and moving faster than a car should. Danny, Lydia figure out something we can use as a weapon between here and there and if you're not already wearing it your seat belts on."

Then he put his hands on the dash board and silver sparks flew from his fingers as the engine suddenly revved to a higher pace and leapt forward. The force pressing everyone back into their seats. "Stiles!" Lydia shrieked at him as Chris whipped the unwieldy vehicle onto a dirt road as if it were a sports car. Ribbons of light wove themselves around the vehicle like a net as they drove down the road. The passengers and driver feeling the bruises form as they were bounced against their restraints along the rough road.

The jostling suddenly stopped as the net finished weaving itself and sank into the car's chassis with a faint metallic hum and then a huge branch suddenly appeared in front of the SUV. The others were braced for the impact, Chris was trying to slam on the brakes.

Stiles though was leaning forward, hands braced on the dash pushing more energy into the engine, unintentionally counteracting Chris' braking as the huge limb came straight for the windshield. "Watch out!" Allison screamed.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek burst through the front door, Peter, Malia and Cora had disappeared about a quarter mile from Hale House. The mostly human contingent hadn't arrived and Derek was actually grateful. He didn't really want them to be involved in this and if they were late that worked for him.

He saw the Alpha Pack ranged around his mother and he thought of Stiles it was the only thing that kept him from grabbing Duke and ripping his throat out. To hear the older werewolf demanding that his mother accept him as a suitor, was yet another reason to do his best to tear the older wolf away from his mother.

"You will need a strong Alpha to be your heir and mate, since your daughter Laura is incapacitated, and your mate has been killed."

"And may we just say coming to the home of a widow just days after the funeral of her mate is not only disrespectful in the extreme but immature." Peter said as he came down the stairs, flanked by Malia and Cora.

"I think you mean premature Uncle Peter," Cora said affectionately, while she and her cousin both glared daggers at each and every member of the Alpha Pack as if there mere presence was a personal insult.

"No, actually I did mean immature. As in is he really so childish as to think that this would in any way be a good idea? Really?" he rumbled.

Malia merely snorted but Cora actually giggled. Which annoyed Decaulion who said, "I had understood that Peter and Cora were no longer members of this pack nor was your son Derek. Why are all of these unaffiliated Pack members here?"

"Actually some of these Pack members are Hale Pack and some are with the Beacon Hills Pack. My pack." Derek said with a soft growl when the female Alpha looked at Issac hungrily.

"It does not matter who these mongrels belong to, they are not involved in this matter. This discussion is between myself and Alpha Hale," Decaulion said haughtily.

"Actually this discussion has already been resolved between the Hale Pack and the Beacon Hills Pack," said a familiar yet slightly distorted voice.

Stiles came in through the front door but there was something very wrong with the picture he presented though. The Sparks eyes were black and his skin was powder white. Dark hollows showed around his glowing eyes and his body seemed distorted as though you were looking at him in a funhouse mirror, and he smelled of blood.

Decaulion though only saw someone else trying to thwart his plans. "Who are you to question me and what does he mean it has been resolved?"

"My son's mate is perfectly within his rights to speak as an Alpha's mate. He is also correct in t hat we spoke of this matter several days ago now and as far as we are concerned it is resolved."

Decaulion was clearly losing his temper as he said, "What do you mean the matter is resolved. What matter is resolved?"

"The matter of who will succeed me of course," Talia said and only Derek and possibly her daughters could have discerned the expression of relief that lay under her aloof exterior as she smiled benignly at the other Alpha.

For a blind man the werewolf gave a good approximation of doing a double take between the Alpha of the Hale Pack and the Alpha of the Beacon Hills Pack. Then as though he recognized who or what might be responsible for this unexpected development. Stiles merely gave a self-deprecating smile as he said, "I was always a better game player than most."

"You think this is some game human?" Ennis said aggressively as he stepped toward the younger man hostilely.

Stiles stared the hug werewolf down and the smile reminded Derek of the expression he'd had on his face when he had saved Derek from the lamia. "The game is called brinksmanship, strategy, jockeying, lots of names actually. My personal favorite is War, and I'm very, very good at it.

Decaulion couldn't see the humans eyes so he didn't understand why his Alpha Pack who could probably take out the Hale Pack entirely shifted back away from the mere human. The other four could see the teens eyes though, the black filled irises surrounded by the dark circles and pale white skin were off-putting. They gave the younger man the appearance of the spectre of death. A skull with hollowed eyes. The smile that was more than a little mad only added to the young man's ghoulish appearance..

While they were distracted by the human however Jackson was doing what any good second in command would do. He was assessing, he circled the Alpha Pack. Scenting, looking for weaknesses, and then he saw the twins from school and he recognized a scent on one of them that was unexpected.

Even worse he recognized their scent from when Scott was attacked. The growl that came from his throat was an instinctive thing but all of the wolves in the room took up the sound, and the Alpha Pack realized just exactly how outnumbered they really were.

Jackson said quietly, "Alpha Hale what is the protocol for turning someone against their will, especially when they do it in another Pack's territory, no less." he said with surprisingly respectful tones.

"If this puppy is accusing…" the female member of Decaulion's Pack hissed.

"Not accusing, stating," Jackson hissed right back.

"This youngling is not of the Hale Pack and therefore has no actionable status in pack business." Decaulion said coolly.

"But I do Duke," Peter said from the stairway and descending the stairs behind him were Allison and Chris aiming their weapons steadily at the Alpha Pack. Every wolf in the Hale Pack were getting out of their way even if they were growling at them. The scent of wolves bane and death hung around the duo.

Danny found himself beside Jackson staring at one of the twins with a look of betrayal and yet there was also pity and sorrow in that gaze. Jackson pulled his friend back behind him out of reach of the Alpha's.

Peter continued as he reached the bottom of the stairs, "As the bolverk of both the Hale and Beacon Hills Packs, it definitely falls under my purview. I'm certain it wasn't your intention for me to be the first person to find Oliver's body."

"Just as I'm quite sure it was your intent to cover up your scents on the body by burying it in that garbage. I don't know about the pups but I do have one of the sharpest noses in the Packs. I didn't recognize it at the time but now that I am in the same room with you, I do. Your scents were all over him, you were the ones who killed him. To kill an Alpha's mate or interfere in a soul bond is one of the worst crimes a Pack can commit." Peter said and his eyes turned vibrant glowing blue. Malia also had bright blue eyes.

"So you have Argents working for you now? How the mighty Hale clan has fallen." Decaulion said boldly even as he tried to fall back slightly. Peter followed however.

"Oh they're not working for me Duke. They're working with me, but then that's what family does." Peter said helpfully.

"Family?" Decaulion said suspiciously. Turning to Talia he asked venomously, "Is that what it is? When I came to you for help with the Argents you warned this tainted little group…"

"No Duke, Talia nor any of either Pack had anything to do with what happened between Gerard and your Pack. Neither did any of my family, that was Gerard and more of his dishonorable friends. Gerard is dead or should be by now." Peter said with simmering rage.

"If not he will be the next time any of us see him," Chris Argent and for just a split second his eyes glowed a molten hot silver.

"You seem awfully confident about that old friend. Why is that?" Duke said to Peter ignoring the hunter for now.

"Because he poisoned himself while trying to poison one of my cubs and the young man who you bit without his consent Duke," Peter offered helpfully as a reminder.

Chris took another step down the stairs not lowering his weapon an iota from where it was pointed at Decaulion's chest, "Your cub? Why would you let Gerard anywhere near one of your cubs?"

"Why would you turn any cub against their will. Especially when it wasn't of benefit to you?" Peter distracted easily.

"I have a much better and more pertinent question," Talia growled, eyes ruby red and with a fine toned growl that had the fine hairs raised on everyone in the Hale House. How dare you kill my mate, Decaulion?"

The Alpha Pack had already begun trying to retreat as soon as Peter made his announcement about who's scent was on the corpse of Oliver Hale. Trying being the operative word as the combined Packs of Hale and Beacon Hills were now surrounding the Alpha Pack two and three deep in some places.

Decaulion had begun to realize he may have underestimated the Hale Pack, especially since he didn't even know about the Alpha status of Derek Hale and the fact that he was developing a Pack of his own. Admittedly, the human element could have been turned to his advantage, humans were so weak after all.

Almost too late Decaulion remembered something important. "I would remind you Alpha Hale that we came here under truce." He said with a sickly charming smile.

"Yes and then you threatened me and the children of the Hale Pack Decaulion. Unlike you I am an Alpha of my word, you have one hour to be outside of Hale and Beacon Hills Packs territory." Talia said and there was a vibrating growl in her tone.

"Where's that?" Kali hissed. Even her just under the surface wolf recognized the danger they were all in and wanted to run. Something the werewolf had never done before, run away.

"Start running," Derek said harshly, "keep running until you feel safe and then run further." Derek looked past Decaulion to where Danny was staring at one of the twins.

"My mother once told me you were a man of vision Decaulion. Let us see if she is right." he said seriously. "If there are among you those who were not involved in the crimes of the Alpha Pack, you may return to our territory. We will offer you protection and decide your fate after."

Kali turned and growled at the human who was staring at the twins. Decaulion being too bold for his own good said, "And where is the wolf we supposedly changed, shouldn't he be joining us?"

"Over your dead bodies," Stiles said sharply and lunged towards the small group of Alpha's only to be held in place by his mate.

Derek gave his most charming and deadly smile as he said, "Since you did not claim him we did. He is no longer part of your Pack Decaulion. Not that he ever was."

Looking at the other wolf Peter said, "This is where you should be running, Duke."

The Alpha Pack disappeared into the darkness as the Hale Alpha looked at her son and said, "What was that last part about?"

"The one they bit was left unclaimed. I claimed him. He is not here because it is too soon to be around any others." Derek offered helpfully knowing that was not what his mother was talking about, but trying to get out of it nonetheless.

"That is not what I was talking about and you know it," his mother said with a hint of irritation in her tone.

"You are the one who has always advocated second chances sister," Peter offered charmingly.

Talia looked at the pair and her face relaxed into a somewhat contented expression. "As long as it doesn't apply to your own family," Peter reminded in his continued charming tone. "Forgive me, my manners. You remember my mate Chris and my daughters, Allison and Malia. You do remember them, don't you Talia?"

"Of course," said Talia with a pained smile.

"Good," Peter said, "because so do I now."

Stiles gave a weak smile and said, "Never said it would be easy."


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N~ So hope everyone's New Year is going well. Forty chapters, not sure if that's a Yay moment or an OMG moment. It also may take more than a couple of chapters to do what needs to be done to make the jump. Please continue to read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 40**

**It was several weeks later: **Stiles had left the Packs to work on things between themselves. Oddly enough it turned out that while Talia may have had the experience of being Alpha, Derek had insights into fighting and training. Plus the other members of their relatively small Pack brought their own little tips to training.

Lydia taught the Pack about using things like the self-lighting Molotov, and other things they wouldn't have thought of. Danny taught them about using computers, hacking and creating a security system for the Hale House. Boyd and Erica taught them about tracking. And on it went. Derek was a relentless task master and Stiles wasn't there to ease him so both Packs got the full Derek effect.

What Stiles had been working on was a protective barrier around the whole of Beacon Hills territory. It had taken that whole time to find the proper spell for such an endeavor. The town may be small but the territory was much larger and spread out over several miles. Although Mary wasn't here he found stones in just the right places and had a feeling that they had been deliberately placed there previously for just the same reason by someone else.

He set the spell and wasn't surprised when the very next day the magical wards were tripped. One was Mary he knew as she went directly to her house and stayed there. The other he thought was probably the Alpha twins because there were two of them and they stuck together like glue, but it was just the two of them so he wasn't too concerned.

He was concerned about Mary though. Apparently she had used magic to get home, Mary preferred public transportation. Buses, planes, trains when she could, she rarely used magic for travel because her opinion was why waste the energy. He tried calling her but when she didn't answer her cell phone after the third, Stiles didn't panic. Really he didn't, he just reacted in a slightly frantic fashion.

He was in Roscoe with the Jeep backing out of the driveway before he had even clicked the phone off. He headed over to Mary's house just slightly above the legal speed limit. He grew more concerned though as he grew closer to the house but there was no burst of recognition through their bond.

As with the rest of the Pack there was a bond of sorts . A connection that they all shared. Derek had told him the bond was strongest between the born werewolves and their other family members but that when you belonged to a Pack even the human members would feel that connection to Pack. It just had to be nurtured a bit. Stiles had to admit that he got a cheesy grin when he heard his mate talk about nurturing and caring for the other Pack members. Mary's bond was primarily with Stiles but she also was considered a Pack elder and the other teenagers in the group were very fond of her. He suspected her exceptional baking skills were at least part of the reason and of course the fact she gave great hugs and cuddles were not to be dismissed in the matter.

The fact she wasn't answering him through the bond or when he tried to call her phone were troubling but Stiles wasn't panicking. After all Mary despised her phone, and she still hadn't really gotten a handle on the whole texting thing yet. She still thought TTYL was short for tittle which was as she informed all of the Pack a dot for a missing letter in a word when you didn't know how to properly spell the word.

After which she promptly took to teaching the entire Pack spelling which according to her, the current school system was severely lacking in, especially if their texts were any indication. Yes Stiles had missed his dose of Adderall this morning due to his concern for the Pack elder and his mentor, thank you very much for bringing it up.

He placed his hand on the door and it unlocked and unchained itself before swinging open. He called out for Mary as soon as he stepped across the threshold, when she still didn't answer, yeah that was when Stiles actually did go into full on panic mode.

He began searching the house and when he found her crumpled body he actually screamed. She was lying in the center of the guest bedroom. She had drawn a Seven Circle, an extremely secure protection circle that she usually used when conducting magic of the highest order. The fact that she was covered in a web of multi-colored magical strands in the center of the circle was also terrifying.

He felt the Pack send little questioning surges through their bonds, he was split between wanting their help and support and knowing that they needed to smooth over any remaining conflicts between themselves and the Hale Pack. Knowing his bond with Derek was the strongest because of their mate bond. He tried to send him soothing emotions while still trying to explain what was going on.

They hadn't gotten to the actually being able to communicate verbally with each other stage yet but sometimes Stiles could pick up a stray thought or desire from the Alpha. When he finished trying to explain what was going on to his Alpha, he sent the Pack an abbreviated text just t ensure that if the bond didn't work technology would.

The teen then sat down and proceeded to unravel the magic that went into the Seven Circles.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Thirty minutes later:** The teen had finally worked his way through all of the circles except the last one when there was a pounding on the door. He hadn't bothered to lock the door and when he felt pack members on the other side he simply called out.

He heard Issac's call first, "Stiles! Mary!"

"In the guest room," Stiles hollered back with the added warning, "Don't cross the threshold yet."

Issac and Allison were in the doorway in a matter of seconds. "Is she okay?" Allison asked her voice dripping with concern for the elder woman.

"I don't know yet," Stiles said still unraveling the magic of the last circle.

"Stiles I can smell blood," Issac whispered hoarsely, "a lot of it."

"Is it all hers?" Stiles asked seriously, not allowing his panic to interfere in what he was doing.

He knew that Issac viewed the older woman as a surrogate mom to replace the one he had lost, but he also knew the boy would be able to tell whose blood he was detecting if he concentrated. That would also occupy the blond so he wouldn't do anything rash, like interfere in Stiles magic.

"No, there are others blood but a good bit of it is hers." Issac said and his voice was only slightly calmer. "Stiles?" he whined and the Alpha Mate recognized it for what it was. A need to be occupied with something other than the downward spiral of panic.

"Issac call Deaton tell him we need a house call. No matter what is and isn't wrong with her, she isn't going to be moved out of this house." Stiles said as he felt the last threads of the seventh barrier unraveling. "Allison can you find a blanket to keep her warm, shock may be an issue."

He didn't look up and heard Allison remind the werewolf to make the call outside. Technology and magic didn't always mix well. Once again he was grateful to the young hunter. She was good for Issac who was still emotionally fragile from the time spent at the mercy of his abusive father.

As the last of the magic was unraveled the last circle fell with an almost audible popping of the ear drums. Now for the net of power, strands were plucked into proper alignment, before being absorbed back into the skin.

Sweat had already started to form on the teens body from lowering the protective circles. It was beaded on his forehead and upper lip and was rolling down his back to pool at the base of his spine. He sensed rather than heard the archer return to the doorway and said aloud, "You can come in. Just stand in the corner, please."

Allison did as she was asked, quietly leaning in the corner as she watched him work. The archer was trying to give the impression of being calm and cool, but he could feel her vibrating like a bow string pulled too tight through their bond. He was just giving himself kudos for the analogy when he finished unknotting Mary's magic and feeling it fall back into place.

He motioned for Allison to step toward him with the blanket. The pair positioned the blanket under the older woman and rolled her onto the warm surface. He realized that the brunette must have put the blanket over the towel warmer in the bathroom and smiled at her gratefully.

He moved Mary's tangled hair out of her face and hissed in a breath. Allison gave a snarl before yelling, "Issac, we need you."

The teen was by their side in seconds and his eyes were glowing yellow as he gently took Mary's hand in his own and began drawing pain from her. Her eyes were both swollen the right one closed tight. The right side of her face was heavily bruised, dried blood Had obviously trickled from the side of her mouth. There were a line of bruises around her throat where someone had tried to choke her.

Three sets of claw marks traced across her torso, some were still bleeding sluggishly but for the most art seemed to have at least clotted over with dried blood as well. A deep and ferocious growl emanated from the usually timid Beta as he asked, "Where was she Stiles? Who did this to her?"

"I don't know buddy, but I intend to find out," Stiles said his voice hoarse with sorrow and anger.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Danny was enjoying the cool morning air. There was still a hint of mist from the previous nights rain. California was still in a drought but that didn't mean they didn't occasionally get showers it just wasn't enough to alleviate what the corporate farms took out. He steered away from those thoughts as they always made him angry and agitated. Running was his way to get Zen before school and all the drama that came with it.

The mist was unusually heavy this morning which spoke for a very humid day later. Right now though it helped him feel the quiet of the early morning as the mist cooled his heated skin. He felt the change in the air as he turned into his last lap around the track, a warning that he was no longer alone.

Among the Pack he was still something of an Omega but he knew the feel of them when they were near. Whoever was here was not part of his Pack, but they were supernatural. He felt the small taped vials of wolves bane powder and mountain ash he had taken to carrying with him everywhere, even when running. Then he felt two streaks of wind as two runners passed him on either side.

He wasn't surprised to see two matching grins thrown over the shoulders of the runners as they disappeared back into the mist on the track. "I'm screwed," Danny thought to himself. "and not in a good way." He added as he remembered that he had thought of himself and Ethan as having potential. He just hadn't thought of it as being potentially lethal.

They were waiting for him at the bench where he had left his gym bag. He stretched and cooled down, never taking his eyes off the twins. He reached through the bond that Stiles had tried to teach him about, hoping someone in the Pack would hear his call.

"So, is this where you what kidnap me or just try to leave my body for the rest of my Pack to find?" he said in a friendly tone.

The one that he was sure was Aiden gave him a slightly interested look while Ethan's face screwed into a look of distaste. "They told you?"

Grabbing a towel out of his gym bag, Danny dried his face and neck non-chalantly as he said, "If by they you mean my Pack and if by told me you mean that you're werewolves, yeah they told me. Also if you're wondering I sort of figured out that the only reason you acted remotely interested in me was just to get to the Pack. So again what are you doing here, if not to kill me, beat me up or whatever else your boss had in mind?"

"He's not our…boss…Alpha anymore." Ethan explained hesitantly.

Danny didn't bother trying to hide his surprise or suspiscion as he asked, "So how did that happen?"

The twins had a speaking glance between them and Aiden finally replied, "Ennis and Decaulion got into a fight."

"Yeah and…" Danny prompted.

Again the twins looked at each other for a minute before Ethan answered, "Decaulion killed Ennis. Packs are supposed to be about belonging, being a family. We helped destroy our last Pack because they basically treated us as Omega's. We were the punching bags and worse," Ethan said as he shuddered unconsciously.

"Decaulion told us the best way to get power was to kill off the other Pack members. That's what he did but he told Kali that it was your Pack that killed Ennis." Aiden continued, "They're on their way back here and we came to warn you…and…"

"And to ask you if you think your Alpha would let us join your Pack?" Ethan concluded in a ruh.

Danny gaped at the pair for a few minutes before saying, "Are you serious? No, I'm being serious right now. You guys came in with the Alpha Pack and killed the Hale Alpha mate, turned one of my friends into a werewolf without his permission and were trying to take over Hale Pack. What was the paln after Decaulion mated with Talia kill off all of Hale Pack and then what try and do the same thing to our Pack. And now you want me to ask my Alpha if you can join them?" he asked incredulously.

The twins both cringed visibly at that and Danny felt guilty as he remembered what they had said about being Omegas and Stiles had told him what it was like for Omegas without a Pack. True both of the twins were Alpha's but they would still probably go mad without a Pack. "You're going to have to prove yourself probably before the Pack will even consider letting you join. Since we're a pack of mostly high school students, you'll have to attend." Danny said thoughtfully as he began changing his track shoes for his regular tennis shoes, "Participate, prove you can be the good guys. I suggest that you talk to both Derek and Stiles. I'll go with you and try to vouch for you. Start with Stiles, though."

"Why Stiles?" Ethan asked curiously. Danny looked up and saw that the twins had moved closer and had hopeful expressions on their faces.

He thought about what they had said previously and asked, "Were you born wolves or bitten?"

"Born, but our mom was an Omega and was killed when we were little. The Alpha never really claimed us as his but we know we would have to have been his. The Alpha mate hated us and…" Aiden shrugged and didn't bother finishing but then he didn't have to.

Danny looked down as he thought about what their lives had been like before and said, "You guys really have never been with a normal Pack or a normal family have you? Stiles is the Pack mom. Derek may be the Alpha but Stiles is in charge of taking care of the Pack. He may not exactly be in charge but he has a lot of influence over what Derek decides, like any other mom and dad."

He took out his phone and noticed he had a couple of missed calls. One from Stiles, he checked it and whispered to himself, "Oh crap!"


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N~ So this will be a challenging chapter there is sexual innuendo of an under-aged nature and mention of the intent to perform what amounts to a mercy killing. Talia has reverted back to witch mode and Derek has more than one epiphany in one chapter. Yep got quite a bit accomplished. Everything except a peace treaty, which was what this chapter was supposed to be about. To say this sort of wrote itself would be an understatement. Let me know what you think but don't blame me if you hate it. Like I said I'm merely the ghost writer in this instance. ~A**

**Chapter 41**

Jackson lifted his head from where it had lolled back on the couch. In truth he had to admit this is the most comfortable he had been since the Pack had started these negotiations. A sudden sharp elbow in his ribs not withstanding. The blond looked down at the little werewolf who was curled in his arms.

They were in what her mother had called the ladies parlor. Although the room did have a delicate little pattern of roses in the wallpaper the furniture was made werewolf friendly. Sturdy wooden pieces covered in denim or corduroy in darker colors, hardwood floors covered in throw rugs and lots of cushions set around the room.

Cora was using him as her own personal body pillow and he didn't mind in the least. He and the young woman weren't really official yet, but he was more than willing to start something right now. Lydia had advised him to give Cora a little time to grieve for her father. Something he totally agreed with and had been doing being as supportive as he had known how.

Yes he and Lydia were friends now and they were surprisingly good friends. He felt his phone buzz in his back pocket but he ignored it, not wanting to disturb Cora. The born werewolf felt the vibrations though and roused to look up at him with a sleepy smile. "Aren't you going to get that?"

"Sure I just didn't want to wake you," he explained as he wiggled around to get the phone out of his back pocket.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. As she stretched, he took the opportunity to admire her lithe figure. He finally managed to get the phone out. Although Cora was distracting when he glanced down at his phone it instantly had his full attention.

_**911: Mary's house. Mary has been attacked. Deaton en route. Wounds severe. AA, SS, IL on site. DR. ALCOMB. Allison.**_

He was off the couch and reaching for Cora to pull to her feet before he had clicked the phone off. "We got to go."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Danny was very uncomfortable. He wasn't quite sure how he should feel actually. He had never been a big fan of motorcycles, always finding them t be more terrifying than thrilling. Of course riding behind Ethan on one was both terrifying and thrilling. The werewolf twins were still insisting that they had left their Alpha Decaulion and were wanting to join Derek's Pack.

Danny wasn't sure if he believed them but he was willing to give them the opportunity to prove themselves. He hoped that Derek felt the same way. After all it was his father that had been killed by the Alpha Pack and his mother that had been threatened by them as well.

He came out of his half terrified and half aroused state when Ethan tapped his thigh to make him pay attention as they were coming up to a crossroads. He pointed them towards Mary's house. The others would probably say that he shouldn't but he knew Mary. Her talent with magic was even more scary than Stiles' was.

He imagined that she had wards upon wards around her house and on it as well. Even wounded he imagined she could do badass things that would scare the twins straight, figuratively speaking. He wouldn't be leading them to her house if he'd had another choice at the time.

He had walked to the school this morning and while it would have only taken him fifteen minutes to go back to his house to get his car he didn't want to waste the time. When they got to the parking area in front of Mary's house, Danny jumped off the back of the bike and shouted a "Thanks," over his shoulder as he ran for the open door of the older woman's house.

His gym bag was sent sliding to join several others in the corner of the entry

Way, he called out and heard Issac answer from down the hall. He had never been to Mary's house before. He noticed it was surprisingly modern for the woman he had kind of considered a modern day hippie. He was more focused on what was going on in the room that Issac was standing outside of. Issac stopped him from stepping inside though and said, "They're getting her undressed so Deaton can tae care of her wounds."

Danny nodded and said, "Ok, ok how is she doing?"

Issac's face darkened. "Something got hold of her bad. More than one something I think, and at least one of them was a were."

Danny looked at the other teen his brow wrinkled as he asked, "How can you tell?"

Issac put his finger to the side of his nose as he said, "Can smell them."

"Then the teen looked past Danny and his eyes went golden as he added, "Just like I can smell them on you. What are they doing back here?"

Danny didn't have to look over his shoulder to know who the blond was talking about. "They need to talk to Derek and Stiles." He said bluntly.

Issac looked at him for a minute as his eyes slowly faded back to their natural color. "Okay but you might want them to wait outside for the time being. Stiles is going to be busy helping Deaton and Derek is stuck at Hale House until they've finished talking. He's not happy about it, but since Mary is an Elder apparently she's considered expendable by the Hale Alpha."

Danny hissed under his breath, "Don't let Stiles hear that, he'll have a fit. Especially since his dad and Mrs. McCall fall under that category too."

"Oh he knows and he's already simmering for a good fight because of what's happened to Mary." Issac said wisely if with a bit of snark. "I have a feeling if the Hale Alpha doesn't change her attitude Stiles may just undo everything Derek's trying to get resolved."

"Yeah and with his temper, that would be in the gloriously bad category." When the werewolf tilted his head at the strange choice of words, Danny clarified, "Fun to watch at the time but a pain in the ass to clean up after."

Issac smothered a bout of giggles but said, "Too true." He added "Boyd, Erica, Jackson and hopefully Cora are on their way over. So we better go out and meet them before they and those Wonder Twins meet up."

"Where are the others?" Danny asked as the pair made their way back out of Mary's home.

"Allison is in with Deaton and Stiles. We're hoping Erica and Cora get here soon so they can draw the pain while Deaton works on stitching up Mary's wounds. The rest of Allison's family stayed behind because Peter is the Bolverk" he said, "Derek stayed like I said. Argent stayed because the Hale's and he have to renegotiate that contract…treaty thing because of Laura's goons attacking the Argent's unprovoked and all. Plus Peter is none too happy with the Hale Alpha for taking his and Mr. Argent's memories. So Malia stayed to kind of be the in the face one for she and Allison."

"The Sheriff and Ms. McCall are at work and Scott is being incognito because he's still trying to deal with being a werewolf." Danny added helpfully.

"Yeah Stiles offered to help but Scott thinks he can handle things on his own. Stiles doesn't like it. He's probably going to track Scott till the full moon and force him to accept the Pack's help. Otherwise somebody might get hurt." Issac agreed dubiously.

The pair walked out the front door just as Jackson and Cora drove up. The lacrosse captain was out of his Porsche and going for the twins. Danny lunged in between the trio as Issac went to intercept Cora. They both decided to try and waylay the pair, using reason.

"Cora, Stiles needs you inside to draw Mary's pain as Deaton works on her. They're afraid to give her drugs because they don't know how much blood she's lost." When the young woman tried to move around the taller wolf he used a slightly deeper tone, "Cora, now."

"Jax, enough." Danny said as he dared to stand in between Jackson and his intended target. He knew it was a risk but he was one of the few people who could probably due this and survive unscathed. He hoped.

"Where's Lydia?" Danny distracted his best friend.

"Stiles left her to act as emissary," the blond wolf said through his teeth. Which thankfully were still human and not pointed even if his eyes were glowing yellow. "He said she was the only one who wouldn't fall for any tricks or get bogged down in the politics. Besides she's actually pretty good at keeping Derek calm."

He closed his eyes and drew in a deep calming breath. When he reopened his eyes they were back to normal if colder as he asked over Danny's shoulder, "Why are you back here?" Just as Boyd and Erica drove up in Derek's SUV.

"They're here to request asylum." Danny said in a soothing tone as the other Beta's stepped out of Derek's truck. Issac intercepted the pair and sent Erica inside to help with Mary. Erica was surprisingly easy to convince. Boyd a little less so. Finally the teen follows his girlfriend into the house and Danny and Issac stare at each other before following everyone else. Leaving the twins waiting outside for their Alpha's Mate.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Derek was trying not to lose patience with his mother. He thought he knew what was going on. His mother had always relied on is father to be the mediator, the peacekeeper during these talks. Technically it was supposed to be Deaton's job as emissary but he had overheard his mother saying she didn't trust anyone who could be so completely unruffled n the face of anything. The absence of his father was now telling as his mother was becoming easily irritated with the proceedings. His own distraction and concern with the situation with Mary wasn't helping.

When Lydia suggested they take a much needed break and his mother agreed, Derek barely contained his groan of relief. Lydia as soon as the other Alpha had left the room had pulled out her cell phone checked her messages and then placed a call to Stiles. When the Spark picked up n the other end, all she said was, "Talk to your mate." Then shoved the phone in Derek's direction. The Alpha in his relief at hearing his Mate's voice fumbled the phone for a few seconds before putting it to his ear.

"Stiles?" he said a little desperately.

Misunderstanding the desperation in his mates voice, Stiles said, "She's alive, but something got hold of her bad," he said he walked out of the room as Deaton glared or as much as the all to calm vet could anyway.

"Issac said at least one were was involved, Erica said it was more than one and that there was one something that wasn't a were. She's been beaten, strangled, and clawed. The magic she used was tangled up, I think she was just desperate enough to get away to pull energy from those around her. We don't do that like ever, I think she knew she was dying. I wish I had gotten here sooner, I think if I hadn't gotten here when I did…."

"Stiles breathe," Derek said soothingly. He had been the desperate one before but the sound of his mate's babble had soothed him somewhat even as the fear in Stile's voice had raised his protective instincts. "She came back to where she felt safe, with us. She knew we would take care of her, she knew you would take care of her. She knew she would be safe with us, with the Pack. Now breathe."

"Gods, Der I wish you were here," Stiles said anxiously.

"I wish I was there too. Or anywhere you are really." Derek answered feeling his wolf moving under his skin. He wanted badly to let the wolf loose and track down his mate. As time progressed between the two of them he was finding it more of a challenge to keep his promise. The self imposed moratorium on sex until Stiles turned eighteen was becoming an almost painful thing.

It was an unusual thing the resisting the mating urge but he felt it was something he needed to do out of respect for his mate and his mate's father. Stiles was growing and maturing as an individual, so his wolf was beginning to perceive him as an adult. The fact the Spark's power was increasing made the wolf preen with pride over his mate. "God I want you." The words fell from Derek's mouth unbidden but no less honestly.

Stiles laughed and for an instant Derek was a little offended, "Yeah right I'm a mess right now. We haven't been able to see each other in two weeks and you're all the way on the other side of the Preserve saying this to me."

"I could be right there beside you and I would still say it to you and mean it just as much as I do right this minute. I love you Stiles and I will always want you right beside me." Derek said seriously.

There was a catch in his voice as Stiles responded, "I…Gods Derek when you say things like that…"

"Things like that I want to roll myself in your scent. That when you're with me I just want to crawl inside of you and feel your Spark warm me. That when we finally do make love I'm going to want to cover you in our combined scents. Do you know how I'm going to combine our scents Stiles?" The Alpha's voice had deepened to an almost predatory growl as he spoke.

Stiles voice was almost a whimper as he groaned into the phone. "Derek."

"Eww Stiles, just eww." Scott said. The voice behind him in the hall brought him back to the reality of the werewolves in and outside of the house, his face flushed almost purple as he heard Derek groan into the phone as well.

"Tell McCall, his timing sucks." Derek said helpfully, even as he was stifling a rueful laugh.

"Yeah well we already knew that," Stiles said as he glared at his sheepish best friend.

"Tell me your dad is working the late shift tonight?" Derek said and he refused to admit even to himself that a hint of begging had entered his voice.

"He is actually but I'm not sure how well Mary is going to be," Stiles said worriedly.

Derek's anger flashed as he remembered the cold detached voice his mother had used to describe how unimportant Mary's life or death was. Then he thought about it and realized he had reacted like a Beta to his mother's edict. Not as an Alpha of his own Pack of which Mary and Stiles were important parts. Actually all of the Pack members were important and he needed to start acting more like an Alpha and not his mothers son. She had given up the right to act like that when she had banished him from her Pack.

"All the better," he said thoughtfully, "Mary is our Pack member she needs our support, full Pack meeting tonight at her house. She may not know we're there but we all will be there to support her except those of us who will be working at that time. I'll tell everyone here, you tell everybody else okay?' At Stiles affirmative answer he continued, "At least I'll get to hold you tonight." After they said their goodbyes he turned to see Malia and Peter at the entrance to the drawing room.

Talia had still refused to address the issue of Malia and Peter and the Argent's. Mostly because she didn't consider it an issue. To her way of thinking she had made an Alpha/executive decision and as such should not be questioned on it. Peter did consider it an issue and had already pretty much decided to resign as Bolverk of the Hale Pack because of it. When Derek hung up the phone, the pair walked towards him, the dark expression in his uncles eyes told him that he hadn't changed his mind and that something had made the decision a foregone conclusion.

"What happened?" Derek asked without preamble.

"My sister," Peter said with disgust dripping, "reminded me that as her Bolverk it would be my responsibility to…" and here his voice dropped out as his disgust and sorrow seemed to block his throat.

"Whatever it is Uncle Peter you know you don't have to do it." Derek said placing his hands on his uncles shoulders in a show of support and tactile comfort. "You are a part of our Pack too, and if you want to make it an exclusive thing you can."

"As your Bolverk?" Peter asked and there was something in his tone that told the Alpha it was more than a question.

"Peter you were my mentor before I ever even knew what a Bolverk was or what he did for the Pack. You still are, if you don't want to be the Bolverk, you can continue in the capacity as my mentor as the healer of the Pack, as the advisor, as the emissary even although Lydia may give you a run for your money in that respect. "

Peter cracked a smile at that. The redhead was acting quite the terror to the Hale Pack who had sneered at her when she had first started acting in Stiles stead. While he had been shoring up the magical defenses of Beacon Hills. Another bone of contention between the two Alpha's as it was his mothers opinion that Beacon Hills didn't need magical defending as it already had the werewolves protection. Despite the recent evidence to the contrary per the actions of the Alpha Pack.

"She is a wonder and a harridan all in one," his uncle said proudly as he drew Malia to his side in a one armed hug. "Remind Malia to tell you what happened between Allison, Lydia and she the other day. I'm seriously considering adopting that redhead."

"You'll do no such thing," came the dulcet tones of his mother. Derek didn't bother hiding the eye roll that he and Peter shared.

"Of course not mother, it was a joke. Lydia already has parents who love her very much, and are understandably very proud of her." Derek said before adding with barely there civility. "Besides he already has two beautiful daughters and a fiancé' who's simply gorgeous. I think a trio of beauties is quite enough to keep him busy for the next few decades. What with college, fighting off admirers, I think he'll be quite too busy to add the drama that is Lydia Martin to his life, I'm sure."

Before the older woman could say anything in response to that statement, Peter took advantage of the perfect segue his nephew had offered him. "Yes, much too busy, which is why I respectfully resign as Bolverk of this Pack and cede my right as part of this Pack as well." he concluded managing to look a bit wistful and sad as he spoke.

The Hale Alpha looked stricken as she gazed at her brother, before the icy haughtiness returned, "Don't be ridiculous, your children are practically old enough to take care of themselves and as for Argent…"

"You neither get to mention his name nor talk about my daughters," Peter hissed and his blue eyes flashed at his sister. "You took all of that from me because it was inconvenient for you Talia. I don't really care if my leaving is inconvenient for you now," he continued as he advanced on her threateningly. "As a matter of fact I quite rejoice at the fact. That and the fact that I won't be available to you if your daughter proves equally as inconvenient if she isn't able to be cured. At least you didn't find it necessary to kill my family."

"What?!" The roar that came out of a partially wolfed out Derek was enough to draw everyone's attention who was still in Hale house. As the younger Alpha realized what it the request was that had so disturbed his uncle. If Laura wasn't able to be cured of her madness her mother wanted her uncle to put her down. "Just like any other mad dog." echoed in his head.


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N~ So loving and hating the new Teen Wolf season. How bout everyone else? Anyway so I'm sorry but you won't see it in my writing. So take that Jeff. Anyway please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 42**

Derek's howl of rage brought nearly everyone in the house to the parlor. Peter was already by his side. The scent of gunpowder and wolves bane preceded Chris Argent. To say that every wolf in the small room except Derek and Peter got out of his way like the parting of the Red Sea wouldn't have been overstating matters.

"So you plan on killing Laura if she can't be healed," Derek managed just barely for the sake of the rest of his former Packs sensitive hearing, but only just barely as he continued, "to save face? Mother, Eichen House is just down the road they are more than capable of taking care of those with supernatural abilities and to do so discretely. They have been doing so for nearly a century now. Why not put Laura in there?" Derek demanded.

His mother looked as though Derek was a particularly dense child as she replied, "Of course not Derek and if she were anyone else I would do that in a heartbeat but as the Alpha heir if she can't be healed she will have to be killed to insure that the title of Hale Alpha falls to you."

"I'm already an Alpha, mother, with my own Pack. Stiles discussed this with you when he started this whole process." Derek reminded his mother.

Talia replied a little testily. "Yes, but that was before the Alpha Pack revealed themselves and killed your father."

"Father could have acted in the interim if something had happened to you but being human wouldn't have inherited the powers of the Alpha either," Derek said in confusion.

"No he could not and Laura would have been kept alive probably in Eichen House until Cora became of age. Then we would have," here his mother faltered. Derek realized in that moment that Talia's seeming cold bloodedness was actually an act. Discussing eliminating her own daughter was affecting her much more than she was letting on, but she thought she was doing what was right for the good of her Pack. Before she continued firmly, "eliminated her."

"I'm also quite sure that you didn't tell Stiles this when you were discussing this with him at your meeting." Derek said. He was slightly distracted as Chris received a phone call behind him, he heard Maia on the other side and pulled back his hearing to give the father and daughter their privacy, returning his attention to his own mother.

"Of course not your Spark already has more than enough knowledge of our traditions without adding some of our darker traditions." She glossed over the word darker but the emphasis was still there.

"Did it ever occur to you mother that Stiles being a Spark and one of the smartest people I know, present company included, might have come up with another way. That he might have even found a way for the power of the Hale Alpha to be transferred without murdering my sister. Might even have discovered some way to heal Laura, all on his own?" Derek demanded. His confidence in his mate glaringly obvious.

"If she could be healed I'm sure Deaton would have found a way and your human did say something about possibly sending her to a healer he knows in the north. Though he was not certain of the outcome," Talia replied.

"Whereas if you kill her outright, the outcome is certain and very permanently final, mother. If you're so sure that she can't be cured then why did you even seem to agree to Stiles suggestions?" Derek asked seriously.

"Because he wasn't wrong and the appearance of the Alpha Pack merely confirmed that," Talia said letting sorrow and some exasperation at her recalcitrant son leak into her voice. "If something happens to me this Pack needs a leader who can take my place. Laura at the present time is not that leader, and she may never be again. I have to protect my people. What if the Alpha Pack come back?"

"What if they do mother? Did it ever occur to you that while they have five Alpha's, even without father we have between us two Alpha's and over two dozen members in our Packs, including the Sheriff of this county and a Spark. I have a feeling that may be even more than Decaulion can handle." Derek asked her.

"No it never did, Talia has never had to fight for anything in her life." Peter reminded his nephew. "Either she negotiated or I fought." The inference was clear and Talia flashed her scarlet eyes at her brother and actually growled. The suggestion that she had lost her killer instinct was a distinct insult to any wolf but for an Alpha…it could very well be considered a killing offense. Peter looked remarkably unconcerned as he gave a cheeky grin.

The phone buzzing in his pocket drew Derek's attention. The message from Stiles said,

"_**Sour Wolf, 911. Sparky needs you." **_

'I have to go." Derek said as he shut off the phone.

"I told you," his mother said. "Pack elders are…"

"Not expendable, mother, ever." Derek said and there was something in his voice that actually had his mother rearing her head back as if she had been slapped. "None of my Pack are ever expendable. Lest you forget mother at some time in the hopefully far distant future, you yourself may become a Pack elder." He said before slipping past the older woman and through the throng of his former Pack.

He hesitated at the door to Hale house looking around as he realized he was missing two of the members of his Pack, Malia and Lydia. "Apparently Lydia was expecting things to go this way. The girls are already waiting in the vehicles." Chris said, as he took the Alpha's elbow and guided him out of the exit easily.

Sure enough Lydia was behind the wheel of her own little car. Behind her in Argents SUV, Malia was agilely climbing over the seat to the backseat of the SUV as she saw her fathers coming bracketing their Alpha. The Alpha slid into the passenger seat of Lydia's car with surprising ease. As soon as other two men were in the SUV the strawberry blond peeled out of the parking area in front of Hale House and started down the long drive out of the Preserve.

Luckily Lydia's driving distracted the Alpha from any destructive thoughts as the pair of vehicles made their way out of the Preserve. The fact that Chris Argent was able to keep up with the titian haired teen was either impressive or equally as terrifying considering the drive wasn't exactly the most well maintained.

Whenever his head nearly hit the roof of the car even with his seat belt on the Alpha asked, "I know why I'm in a hurry to get out of here and I know that we're worried about Mary but it might help if we actually got out of the Preserve in one piece Lydia."

"How far does a werewolves hearing work?" Lydia asked out of the blue.

Derek looked sideways at the younger woman as if he were trying to see inside her head. "About two miles, no one was on patrol when we left so we passed the point of their hearing us about the same place we left my kidneys and part of my spine back there."

Lydia looked away from the street they were about to pull out onto. To gape at Derek in mock surprise, "Derek you made a joke. Stiles will be so proud when I tell him." She said as she squealed tires and pulled out in front of a semi before righting the little car and headed to a take out place a quarter mile out of the Preserve and on the way to Mary's place. When they pulled into the parking lot they were soon followed by Argent in the SUV. As soon as the hunter had pulled into the parking lot and screeched to a halt, Peter jumped out of the vehicle and walked quickly over to the smaller car.

He opened Lydia's door and when he was helping the teen out of the vehicle, he asked his face slightly pale under his olive skin as he said, "Lydia my dear, you know the difference between offensive and defensive driving, correct?"

The redhead smiled cheerily as she patted the older mans cheek. "Nope, not really. By the way," she said as an even more pale Chris Argent climbed out of the drivers seat of the SUV. Malia had already jumped out of the backseat and was headed to the back of the vehicle.

"If they planned on killing her, would this actually be considered kidnapping?" Lydia asked as Malia opened the back and removed the tarp there to reveal a sleeping Laura Hale curled up on a sleeping bag that had been spread in the back of the vehicle.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"Are you sure he's coming?" Cora asked

"I don't know, but I sent the text." Erica said, "If he doesn't come soon, Boyd and I will take Stiles Jeep and go get him."

"Are you sure you did it right?" Allison asked.

"I do know how to send a text Allison." Erica snapped testily.

"She didn't mean it like that Erica. She was asking if you remembered to use the code phrases." Cora defended her cousin in that placid voice she used.

"Sour Wolf, 911, Sparky yeah I used them all. If the other Alpha doesn't have an issue with it he should be here soon." Erica said tactlessly, perhaps forgetting that the other Alpha in question in this case was Derek and Cora's mother, and Allison's aunt.

Ignoring the remark Allison instead replied humorously. "Yeah especially if he lets Lydia drive."

The girls all smiled at that and Erica even managed a snicker as they filed back into Mary's bedroom. Jackson and Issac had managed to get Stiles on the settee in the older woman's room while Boyd had managed to get Mary up into her bed under Deaton's supervision. Issac had his hand on Stiles trying to draw his pain, though it looked like the teen was finishing up with the Spark.

Mary however was still in a good deal of pain and Erica went to join Boyd and the pair continued to draw her pain. The older magic user was healing though thanks to the burst of life energy that the Spark had forced into her mixed with a dose of healing energy. That was what had caused him to pass out. Thus the text being sent to their missing Alpha.

"Hey Doc," asked Erica, "Is it possible for werewolves to have a heart attack?"

The emissary looked over at the blond curiously before saying with slight resignation in his voice. "I'd rather you didn't right at the moment if you don't mind."

"Don't worry, not me. Just whichever one of the others who got to ride with Lydia." Erica said.

Jackson rolled his eyes and said, "She's not that bad."

"Says the guy who regularly drives a Porsche?" Cora said with an amused little laugh and a wink at the blond teen.

Jackson would forever deny it but the tips of his ears did turn pink. Allison under Deaton's supervision was preparing to break the circle. When they heard someone slam the front door open. Issac opened the door to the bedroom, just in time for Derek to come barging into the room carrying an older dark haired looking woman

"Laura," Cora hissed in recognition.

Derek took one look at his mate unconscious on the settee and nearly dropped his sister. Peter who was right behind him, caught her legs but everyone I the room was shocked when Scott caught the upper body of his true Alpha and helped lower her to the floor where Deaton came over to check the young Alpha female.

Derek meanwhile was at his mates side in the next few seconds. Clasping the freakishly still Sparks hand as he knelt by his side. Brushing the spiky hair back from his forehead gently.

As the vet/Druid/emissary checked the young woman over. It was Peter who asked, "And where have you been young Mr. McCall?"

"Better question when did you get here?" asked Jackson.

"Just now," Scott replied easily. He surprisingly seemed a lot more relaxed as he looked at the lacrosse captain. "I was outside the Hale House," he added looking back at Peter. "I heard everything, including what they had planned for Laura. If you hadn't done it I probably would have," he added to Malia with a grin.

"Why did you only just now get here?" Erica asked a little suspiciously.

"Had to run," he said fanning his t-shirt slightly.

"Why didn't you just, you know catch a ride with the others?" Issac asked in a confused voice.

"Duh, Lydia was driving." he said as if it should be obvious and to the rest of the Pack, including Lydia, yeah it was.


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N~ Brace yourself for a few surprises or maybe not and a few cutesy moments, or maybe not. Also please read, enjoy and review. Especially review, cause it feeds the writer. The writer is a hungry thing and must be fed regularly or they have a tendency to run rampant and roughshod over little things like plot, and character survival and things like that. So yeah review please, kudos are appreciated but even more commentary would be appreciated as well. Love you guys. ~A**

**Chapter 43**

After Deaton had explained that Laura was merely drugged to the gills with some wolves bane laced concoction and not about to die, Peter and Cora relaxed somewhat. Derek relaxed when Stiles roused enough to give the Alpha a drowsy smile. Then he pulled their clasped hands to his chest and turning over sleepily before settling back down.

Then the Alpha looked up to see the twins hanging around the open door of the bedroom. He had been so worried about Mary, Laura and Stiles he hadn't even noticed the pair when he had come in.

He had started to growl when he felt Stiles tighten his grip on his hand and lowered his voice but his eyes were glowing red as he stared at the two. Lifting his free hand he crooked his fingers at the pair, motioning for them to come into the already crowded room.

The pair walked towards the Alpha pair with obvious trepidation although Ethan actually looked a little relieved, excited, hopeful perhaps? It was hard to tell what the expression was on the former Alpha Pack members face was, Lydia thought as she observed the interaction. She knew Stiles would want to know every detail when he woke up. Not that Derek wouldn't tell him, the Alpha would definitely tell his mate the truth. It was just that Derek wasn't exactly a detail kind of guy. More saw bad guy, ripped bad guys throat out, bad guy dead, need toothpick.

Ok he might be a little more articulate than that. She still imagined that Stiles would need a little more information to do whatever else might need to be done. Lydia was taking her position as the temporary Pack emissary very seriously. Lydia spoke up when the twins and her Alpha stared at each other for several minutes. The twins apparently out of fear and her Alpha out of concern for his mate.

"Thank you for believing our Alpha is telepathic but last time I checked it's not really a trait for any werewolf so you kind of need to tell him why you're here," she said helpfully even if her tone was a little snippy.

Aiden looked over at her and actually gave her a wink. His brother was a little more focused thank goodness. "Decaulion and Kali are planning to come back here. They plan on picking away at both Packs until you're weakened and then kill the rest." Ethan explained, respectfully keeping his eyes lowered.

"And they sent you here to warn us?" Derek asked dryly.

"And what about the other one?" Scott asked seriously. The twins looked over at him as if they had forgotten he existed.

Aiden answered, "Ennis. Decaulion killed him. He thought we were going to look for food and Kali for a place to stay. But we came back early. Decaulion told Ennis that the rest of us lacked motivation."

"He told Ennis he planned to give us motivation," Ethan picked up the story from where his brother had begun to look somewhat sickened. "When Ennis asked him how he planned to do that, Decaulion didn't answer him. Instead he stabbed him with his cane and then crushed his skull. He told Kali that some of you or your mother's Pack must have followed us and killed Ennis. She believed him."

"We figured if he was willing to do that to Ennis who was a strong and loyal Beta. It was only a matter of time for the rest of us. We've been Omegas before," Aiden said and here he gave a telling glance to his twin before continuing, "It's not a good place to be in a Pack or out of a Pack. We would like to join your Pack, even if it is as Omegas. We've seen the way you treat all of your Pack members, I don't think you'd kill them just to gain power for yourself."

The pair paused as they waited for Derek to say something, anything. The Alpha was staring at the pair his face set in its usual grouchy expression. Then Stiles perhaps sensing the unrest of his mate on a subconscious level turned back toward the Alpha. The Spark curled himself around Derek's hips almost in a protective gesture. Stiles kissed their joined hands and mumbled something unintelligible before slipping back into a deeper slumber.

Only Derek could understand Stiles speak. The very distinctive communication that Stiles made when he was more asleep than awake, it was always more honest gibberish than Stiles usual rambling. It didn't always make sense to anyone other than Stiles, but it was occasionally very enlightening. Like now, "Don't be such a Sour Wolf." He actually gave a small affectionate smile to his sleeping mate who was now drooling on his jean clad thigh.

"My mate would say "everyone deserves a second chance." Derek said not looking up from where he was using his free hand to stroke Stiles brown spikes gently. "He usually gives good advice. You are under the Pack's protection, but not yet a member of the Pack. You have to prove yourself for that. We protect our Pack and the people of this town. Whether they know about the supernatural or not."

Allison said, "We protect those who can't protect themselves."

The twin Alpha's looked at each other and the expressions on their faces were priceless. "What did you think?" Issac asked and there was no heat in the question. Instead he continued, "That the only reason he kept Stiles around was for sex? Our Pack doesn't work that way."

Erica smiled at the other werewolf as she ruffled his curls. "We are each others family." she said easily.

Then Scott stepped forward and circled the pair scenting them, and when he made the full circuit, "It wasn't you who bit me," he said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. It wasn't a question more a statement of fact.

"How do you know that Scott?" Allison asked curiously.

"I'm new at this but I do remember the distinct smell of death. Kind of like death and old blood. Sometimes when Mom comes home from work she smells like that but her natural scent is under it, don't tell her I said that though." he said looking around at the others pleadingly before getting back to the subject. "The one I smelled though that was his underlying scent, which one was it?"

"Decaulion," several voices said at once. The Alpha twins of course, but he was surprised to see several members of his own Pack also answered the question. Derek, Peter, Malia, Jackson and Issac all answered him.

"How did you…" he began and Peter said easily. "He was at the house earlier and it served to remind me. He smelled like that before but he smells worse now since he became blind and killed his former Pack."

Scott merely nodded his head in understanding and then looking at the others expectantly, "When he was at the Hale House trying to coerce Mrs. Hale into taking him as her Alpha Mate, we all smelled him there too. I don't blame her a bit for not taking him as her mate," Malia said with an expression of disgust. "Having that in my den would just be disgusting." No one disagreed with the were-coyote.

"Den?" Aiden asked with a strange expression on his face, "What are you feral?"

The look Malia gave him was hostile as she growled at him and her eyes flashed blue. Allison was suddenly beside her sister with a ring dagger in her hand. She placed her free hand on her sisters shoulder. When Derek came over to stand beside his cousin, Aiden began to realize how his obnoxious mouth might get both he and Ethan in hot water with the Pack whose good graces they were trying to win.

Her eyes never shifting back to normal, the teen girl actually smiled at Aiden and only showed a hint of fang when she said charmingly, "I was actually, but I'm feeling much better now."

Aiden audibly gulped but couldn't help adding, "Yes ma'am I can see that." He said as his eyes wandered appreciatively over the were-coyote's form. Malia looked taken aback by the flirtatious tone while her sister merely rolled her eyes at the obnoxious werewolf.

Meanwhile Cora who was kneeling by her sister on the floor, rolled both her eyes and her head on her shoulders as she merely said, "Men."

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Sheriff was waiting by the cruiser as Melissa McCall came out of the side entrance used by the employees. The woman looked beautiful John thought, even though like him she had just gotten off of a double shift. Her slender form though reminded him that while his was an equally stressful job, it was also more sedentary. It was one of the few reasons that he appreciated the diet that Stiles was always trying to keep him on.

He looked at her and saw the fear that entered her eyes and smiled reassuringly at the woman as she came closer. He saw the relieved but still worried expression spread across her face. Then John realized that he could read her expressions just as easily as he ever could Caudia's. The memory of his late wife still caused a pang of pain and sorrow in his heart but not as soul crushing as it had once been.

Then Melissa was in front of him and he said, "They're fine, our kids are okay. Deaton merely asked if we could meet them at Mary's house. Apparently she is in bad shape."

Her face going back to concerned and slightly fearful, before slipping her professional mask back into place, "What happened?"

Pulling open the front passenger side door to let the woman slide into the passenger seat, John replied, "I'll tell you what I know on the way."

The Sheriff did just that as he was driving towards Mary's house. Explaining to the nurse the injuries suspected on the older woman; bruises, claw marks, and potential broken bones. Melissa hissed whether in sympathy or anger at whoever had attacked the other resident Pack elder.

There was quiet in the cruiser for a few minutes before the Sheriff said conversationally, "You were a little later getting off work, not that I minded was there any accidents or trouble I might here about about later at the station?"

"Oh no nothing like that," Melissa said reassuringly. "They just offered me the Head Nurse position. It would mean a pay increase and better benefits but probably longer hours. I told them I would think about it but I already work so much, most of the time I barely get to see Scott now as it is. I don't know, raising a kid is hard enough, raising a teen werewolf is even more challenging. Sending Scott to college, well his grades aren't the best, so either lacrosse scholarship or taking this job and there's still no guarantees."

Melissa suddenly blushed in embarassment and said, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to unload all of that on you. You just asked and no one has…I mean I figured you're the only other single parent I know well enough to discuss anything like this with…and now I'm going to shut up."

"No, I get it, I really do. Stiles is brilliant, not great at sports, but I'm still proud of him and know he could go to college and probably be something really great." John paused for a few seconds as he concentrated on a slightly more tricky part of the road. He then huffed a breath and said, "But with the real world and supernatural world being what it is, I don't know. He's part of a werewolf pack, he's negotiating peace treaties, fighting monsters and pretty much married or at least engaged to Derek Hale, I really don't know how that is going to work."

"Oh he's a lot more important than just that John." Melissa said compassionately. "Scott told me, he's pretty much an Omega, but Stiles is the emissary, basically the Pack ambassador, he's a Spark or possibly stronger according to Deaton, and he's the Pack mom or Alpha Mate or for all intents and purposes he is the co-Alpha. According to Scott he's pretty sure that Stiles has set up at least one force field thingy…"

He did a double take at those words before glancing sideways at the nurse, "Force fields?"

"Ok, obviously not but whatever the magical version of that is. Stiles did that around part of Beacon Hills to keep bad things out." Melissa said absently.

"Bad things?" asked the Sheriff and Melissa looked at him sharply a little afraid she might have broken him.

She continued to study him as she said, "Yeah you'd probably have to ask him what exactly that entails cause I'm not sure. Hell he seems to be learning the extent of his powers as he goes so you might have to ask him whats involved. Who knows it may even keep out criminals."

John Stilinski didn't say another word until they pulled into the driveway of Mary Spenser's home, "Werewolves, magic users and force fields. Good grief, sounds like the latest cult classic from the SciFi channel." He muttered as the pair got out of the cruiser and headed to the front door of the house. He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head in world weary acceptance.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The other members of the Pack every single one of them were in Mary's house. Most surprisingly were able to fit inside of the witch's bedroom. Derek was standing by Mary's bed, supporting Stiles who was examining his mentor carefully. Scott was on the opposite side of the bed, folowing the Alpha's instructions on how to draw pain from someone. Deaton and surprisingly Peter were at the foot of the bed explaining to the teen that werewolves made astoundingly good healers both for animals and people because of that and their other werewolf abilities. Chris Argent and Allison were tanding near one of the bedroom windows. The older hunte had a tablet out and from his look of concentration might have been conducting business on the device or looking up whatever threat might be on the horizon. His daughter was talking to the Lahey boy, the young man had a smirk on his face but his eyes were warm.

The Sheriff had passed Erica, Boyd, and Cora in the kitchen. Jackson was sitting at the bar of the kitchen, eating what appeared to be a huge sandwich wrap. The others appeared to be making a meal, whether it was just for the three of them or the remainder of the Pack the sheriff was hard pressed to say.

Two new people stood in the corner, a set of twins were speaking quietly with Danny and Malia. School, lacrosse and math were being discussed, the word math was said with such disgust by both Malia and at least one of the twins that John barely contained his humor. He remembered Stiles having that same expression when he came home with his first math homework. It had taken Claudia several weeks to convince their son that math could actually be fun.

Stiles still had some days when school was more challenging than fun. He also still had problems with some teachers who thought the Sheriff's son was an easier target than the actual man himself. There were others who thought the diagnosis of ADHD was just an excuse for a lazy student. He had stopped trying to convince them otherwise, Stiles had told him it really wasn't worth the stress and hassle.

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago when he had walked into an argument between Derek and Stiles over the science teacher Harris, that he realized trouble was still going on. John had been called out to a three car pile-up and unfortunately between some blood and somewhat toxic fluids from a tanker he had needed a shower and a change of uniform had been necessary.

The Alpha for all intents and purposes was threatening to rip the teachers throat out for harassing Stiles. The werewolf had been driving Stiles to and from school for the past two days. As the last time Stiles Jeep had broken down leaving the teen stranded at the library for three hours, the Alpha had insisted it have an overhaul.

The overhaul included having everything from the bald tires to the shorting out celanoid would be repaired, replaced, or whatever needed to be done. When John had heard what Derek had planned he had tried to put his foot down only to discover that the werewolf had a perfectly reasonable and totally irritating argument.

He was the Alpha, Stiles was his mate. Taking care of his Pack was Derek's responsibility, especially when it came to his mate. The fact that every time he said that John would grind his teeth in frustration had the older man convinced dental surgery was going to be in his future, sooner rather than later.

Apparently, Harris was harassing Stiles and giving the Sheriff's son detention just because. First time was because Stiles was talking to his lab partner during an experiment. Something all of the students were doing but only Stiles got called down for and given detention.

Second time was because Stiles had dropped a pencil. Harris had accused him of cheating by using the pencil as a ploy for looking at someone elses notes. Notes that Harris had specifically put on the board to be taken down by all the students.

Third time he specifically told Stiles that the only reason he was giving him another detention was because he was the Sheriffs son and that Harris disliked him because of it. That one all of the Pack members who were in the class objected too and all of them ended up in detention.

Stiles had told both of the men that their was nothing they could do about it and that eventually karma would balance the scales. The Sheriff was still trying to figure out when his teenaged son had become so zen. He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts as Melissa went to stand beside her son and take Mary's pulse. The Sheriff saw black veins pulsing up the younger mans arms, then he noticed the same thing happening on Derek's arm. The one he had wrapped around Stiles' waist.

Then he looked at where a makeshift bed had been made on the floor of the bedroom. Lying on the bed was Laura Hale unconscious and being attended to by Lydia the redhead, sorry strawberry blond was making sure the older woman was comfortably positioned and covered warmly.

When Lydia looked up at him gave a winsome smile as she said, "If you've come to arrest me for kidnapping sheriff. I wouldn't bother. I basically just did a WWSD." she said and when the Sheriff gave her a blank look she explained, "What would Stiles do?"

Everyone in the room except the unconscious people cracked up, even the Sheriff and Stiles merely echoed, "Damned straight."

"Ok, tell me," John said and so they told him what they knew including about the Hale Packs plans for Laura, the Alpha Pack and the Alpha Twins. By the time they were done, the Sheriff was sitting in the comfortable reading chair that Mary had by another window in her bedroom.

He was pale and looked a little ill as he said, "Is it always like this?"

Stiles looked around the room before replying with a shrug, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Damn kid," the older man said as he ran his hands over his face roughly. He wasn't too surprised when he heard someone knock on the front door, he was when Parrish walked in and took one look at Issac and said, "Zac?"

"Cam?" Issac replied in a reedy voice.

Mary's eyes suddenly opened and she whispered painfully, "Now." Followed by a blinding flash of light.

**A/N/N~ And so it begins. ~A**


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N~ Right so I seriously thought of actually naming this chapter. Problem was it would probably have fallen under the category of longest chapter name in history. Thus the chapter that would have been called "Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die, or just another apocalypse." Yes I am that mental thank you for noticing. I completed this chapter on the same day as I posted the other. But I didn't want to overwhelm everybody, this is definitely going to be a little overwhelming. I did add some parts from early on in the story but they have been edited. Please review, please, please, please?! ~A **

**Chapter 44**

With a couple of notable additions everyone was back in the clearing surrounding the Nemeton. Jackson and Cora were both carefully picking his way over to Laura Hale's prone body which had ended up in the middle of the clearing near the Nemeton itself. Lydia was still kneeling next to the Alpha Heir. Jackson had accepted Derek as his Alpha, it didn't mean he didn't feel the pull of being near his creator. Cora undoubtedly felt the need to be close to her sister.

While everyone else was attending to the newly resurrected dead and the pair who had done all the hard work. Mellissa and Peter were gratified to see that the burns on the air were beginning to heal at a more supernatural rate, a face Mama McCall was never more grateful for, except when it was her own son.

Then everyone in and under the clearing suddenly felt as if they had been struck right between the eyes with a rather large and painful rubber band. A few were even thrown back by the sharp pain, others simply rubbed that area between their eyes. Mellissa found herself being helped back to her feet by Peter and Derek.

The Sheriff called down, "We've got company up here."

Derek looked over at his uncle and said, "Go." As the older werewolf scrambled up the ladder, the Alpha leaned down and whispered, " You're still all I need. Forever." Everything continued to come rushing back, as he followed his uncle up the ladder.

**XXXXXXXXX**

He remembered Jennifer Blake, the new English teacher. At first she seemed quite nice, certainly better than Gerard and Victoria Argent had been as educators. If a little too attentive to Derek, when the Alpha informed her that he was already "engaged" to Stiles. The woman had seemed personally offended and had then started blabbing to everyone who would listen how the older man had seduced the Sheriffs impressionable son and how the Sheriff had no clue.

Stiles and Lydia had come and informed the older woman that not only was the Sheriff completely aware of the affair but was completely supportive of it. The woman still seemed personally offended but backed off from Derek and the Stilinski's. Only to seduce Scott McCall.

Scott was already feeling very rebellious due at least in part to the arrival of Rafe McCall his estranged father who he hadn't seen in over six years. His father had been an alcoholic and had been thrown out of the McCall house when Scott had been younger. His father had been drunk and had "accidentally" knocked his son down the stairs breaking the boys jaw and arm. Melissa had agreed not to report the incident if McCall had agreed to get out of their lives.

Unfortunately the statute of limitations was up on the child abuse and endangerment charges that might be brought against him. So Rafe McCall had returned to Beacon Hills for two reasons to investigate the Sheriff, i.e. get back at the man who had threatened to arrest him and ruin his career if he didn't comply with Melissa's demands and also try to insert himself back into his son's life.

Derek meanwhile was once again trying to work out a peace treaty with his mother, while Alan Deaton was trying to figure out what was wrong with Laura. The Druid was convinced that the problems with Laura's mental state were due to some outside influence. While Derek was trying to convince his mother that murdering his sister was a drastic and unnecessary act against the Alpha Heir. Then of course the Remainder of the Alpha Pack had returned and killed two of the Hale Pack trying to make it look like Derek's Pack had done it. Only this time neither Pack fell for the trickery of Decaulion and Kali.

Then the murders, ritual sacrifices had started. The timely arrival of the Yukimura clan had interfered in the woman's sacrifice of Lydia and Aiden. The woman had somehow mesmerized the Alpha twin to protect her as she attempted to sacrifice Lydia. The young Asian woman had touched the metal encased wiring of the classroom, closing a circuit and electricity had arced out sending the werewolf flying across the room and sending the older woman out the classroom window.

Aiden had recovered but neither he nor Lydia remembered much of the incident. The Yukimura's hadn't really seen much because of the darkened classroom. Lydia recognized the woman the next day during class after hearing her voice. Ms. Blake overhearing the titian haired teen telling Cora what she had figured out. Poisoning the unsuspecting teen wolf with wolves bane and then once again managing to kidnap and attempt to sacrifice Lydia to the Nemeton.

This time Lydia was ready for her and screamed, using her newly awakened Banshee powers to frighten away the teacher once again. The next day when Mr. Harris didn't show up for class and his car was found abandoned by the side of the road, foul play was suspected. By this time Deaton had recognized the ritual sacrifice as one to draw power from the Nemeton, a lot of power.

The trio of Deaton, Stiles and Lydia were searching the cordoned off classroom of the science teacher before even Stiles father could search through the contents. Lydia and Stiles noticed the odd grades that Harris had given on the latest science test, DARACH. He explained that it was the name of a dark druid, one who had lost their way.

When asked how to stop her the Druid had recommended mistletoe. That night Lydia and Stiles had gone to meet the vet at his animal clinic only to find the older man missing and his clinic looking as if it had been ransacked. They called Scott not mentioning their suspicions about the English teacher he was involved with. Using his werewolf senses he was able to track Deaton to an all too familiar root cellar under the Nemeton.

The werewolf of course had outrun both the Banshee and the Spark to get to the Nemeton and so was alone when he found the Druid and desperately tried to free him. Only to discover the ring of mountain ash creating the barrier surrounding his mentor. Deaton was trying to advise his young friend only to have increasing difficulty breathing let alone talking. Using will alone Scott tried to push the barrier out of his way and after a few seconds was repelled by the mountain ash. Lydia and Stiles arrived soon after to help him free the vet. As the two worked to free him from the chains using magic. Deaton told Scott that while the werewolf had been trying to save the vet he had seen the younger mans eyes flash Alpha red and explained what a True Alpha was to the dark haired teen.

Then Stiles, Allison, Scott and Derek discovered that their respective parents had all been kidnapped. That was when they decided to explain to the younger wolf their suspicions about Jennifer Blake being the Darach. The one who had been making the ritual sacrifices and who had kidnapped their parents to sacrifice on Eclipse.

Later that night Blake arrived at the clinic where Scott was actually cleaning up after the attack on Deaton. She told him that Deaton had been kidnapped by Stiles and Derek. That they were the ones who were making the sacrifices so that Stiles could gain more power for his Spark. She begged him to believe her, only to have Stiles and Derek walk in with Derek carrying a jar about the size of an energy drink can.

He threw the powder into the air letting the wind currents carry the mistletoe powder in an arc toward the beautiful brunette teacher. As soon as the powder touched her skin she reared back trying to get away only to find her feet seemingly glued in place. As she thrashed to escape though, all three men saw what she really looked like and Scott looked extremely repulsed.

When she tried to escape, Scott caught her by the throat and lifted her off her feet, where she began to gasp for air. Stiles reminded his friend that they still didn't know where their parents were, and Scott had promptly dropped Blake on her ass. Jennifer had tauntingly reminded them that they did need her to find their parents and continued to taunt Scott about how easy he was to seduce, "Like Alpha, like pup."

"Except he's not my creator. Decaulion was." Scott explained.

Her complexion suddenly became grey and Jennifer Blake looked horrified. They were still trying to figure out why she would be so terrified as they reached the hospital to try and save Cora. Only to find the Alpha twins trying to fight off the remainder of their old Pack, who were trying to get to Laura Hale.

Ethan had figured out what was going on when he had to bring Danny in with symptoms similar to Laura's except due to his surgery on his chest there was the added side effect of respiratory distress. He had recognized the hallucinations and delusional thinking and had led his twin and they arrived just in time to save the Alpha Heir from being kidnapped by Kali and Decaulion. They were able to fight the Alphas off with the help of Peter and the new arrivals. During the ensuing chaos though the Darach escaped after nearly killing Derek.

The Spark was able to save his mate and had he and the other werewolves out of the hospital before Scott's estranged father arrived to investigate. The man got zero respect from the teens, especially Stiles. The Sheriff's son was furious with the incompetent FBI agent and did not hide his obvious contempt for the older man.

The fact that his best friends father alternated between trying to threaten Stiles, trying to cajole the Spark into helping him get in good graces with his son. Then threatening the younger man with throwing him in jail, didn't go unnoticed by the Spark's mate as he came back into the hospital as if he had just arrived.

When the agent said he wasn't done with Stiles the Alpha took great pleasure in advising the older man he was done with Stiles. Reminding the Agent that Stiles was still underage and that the agent was trying to question Stiles without guardian or lawyer present. Then he presented a document listing himself as one of Stiles legal guardians. He got in the Agents face and said with a growl, "You are done."

Stiles and Derek walked out holding hands. They walked around to the back of the hospital where Ethan and Aiden were sitting in the back of an ambulance with Laura on one side of the ambulance and Cora on the other. Now that they knew what was going on Stiles began working out an antidote quickly as they waited for Peter who arrived soon after with the Argent-Hale family SUV. The four remaining werewolves had transferred the Hale sisters into the vehicle and Stiles had promptly told Peter what he had to do to save his nieces. Peter balked and actually had to be reminded that he was literally the family physician. With that the older man headed towards the animal clinic with the two girls in tow.

Stiles had scryed for their parents and sent Allison and Issac to rescue them as he, Scott, Derek and the twins had headed back to the loft only to come on the Alpha Pack with Lydia, Boyd and Erica. Apparently though the Alpha's hadn't really planned for the Darach.

Lydia explained later that Jennifer Blake had actually been Kali's emissary and lover when she'd had her own Pack. She had then killed her Pack but had been unable to kill her lover and instead had left the woman to die. Only the woman had made a deal of sorts with the Nemeton to save her life and she would sacrifice dozens to it to keep her beauty and power and gain her revenge against the Alpha Pack. The twins had been able to save the others barely and without dying themselves. The Alpha Kali hadn't been so lucky against the Darach.

Stiles had made sure that everyone was alright before disappearing. Scott and Derek had followed the Darach who was apparently chasing the Alpha of Alpha's to have her revenge. Finding herself surrounded she had protected herself from them with mountain ash once again taunting the werewolves and especially Scott. Saying that if she had been able to convince the Alpha to leave Stiles she would have taken him into her bed instead of an immature and unsatisfying Beta like McCall.

Scott had then pushed through the barrier of mountain ash, thus obtaining the status of being a True Alpha. He still was reluctant to kill the older woman. However, Decaulion who Blake had given his eyesight back to as part of her revenge, had no trouble killing the Darach. Nearly decapitating her in the process. Scott felt a pang about that but then remembered the woman had kidnapped and tried to kill his mother, several of his friends and had used him too. He figured he's get over the pang of guilt soon enough. That was about when the new Alpha realized he had not heard from anyone about the status on their parents yet.

About that time Scott got a call from an unknown number. Come to find out that the number was Kira's phone. She had found Stiles crashed in his Jeep she had managed to rescue him, as in wake him from unconsciousness. Only to have him run off into the dark with a baseball bat. Then Stiles had gotten on the phone and advised his friend to tell Derek they had a new member to add to the Pack. Kira.

He explained that because of the Eclipse and the spell the Darach had pulled the root cellar had started to cave in. The eclipse had also caused the werewolves to be weaker so Issac had been unable to stop the inevitable collapse of the cellar until Stiles had managed to slide the aluminum bat under the support beam. Kira had run back to Stiles old Jeep and found a rope.

The girl was fast, like wicked fast. After the Argents and Issac were able to get out they had pulled out Mrs. McCall, the Sheriff and eventually Stiles. Who they then realized was in a lot of pain when Issac reached for him to pull him up the last few feet and his pain draining ability had activated automatically.

Melissa was furious to discover that the Spark had been seriously injured in the crash caused by the Darach's last bit of magic. They managed to get him to the hospital where they were met by the rest of the Pack who explained about the supernatural to Kira as they were relegated to the waiting room to hear about Stiles.

Many of the Pack members sat in the uncomfortable plastic chairs or leaned against the waiting room walls. Derek however was pacing well prowling really Lydia thought as she watched the Alpha wait impatiently to hear about his mate from the doctor. Even the Sheriff seemed less stressed about Stiles well-being but then he had seen Stiles after the accident. Derek hadn't.

Aiden was standing between Lydia and Malia he rolled his neck where the Darach had tried to break his and his brothers necks while they were in there joined Alpha form. She had failed and the fact that the red head and Cora had helped the twins hadn't gone unnoticed. He liked the redhead he really did but the brunette was a great deal more challenging.

Normally Aiden was in to the challenge until it wasn't so interesting any more. This one though was the most challenging and beautiful he had ever met. Yeah originally he and his brothers job had been to seduce members of the Pack. He had originally been assigned the redhead but she was getting over the Pretty Boy in the Pack and was apparently smarter than to do the whole rebound thing.

Ethan had been assigned to the Danny guy who was somewhere in the hospital still recovering from the poisoning. He actually had fallen for the other teen, and was currently with the other member of the Beacon Hills pack. Cora had recovered from the poison mostly but was leaning heavily on Pretty Boy. The pair were actually kind of cute together. Aiden was the brash and the bang where Ethan was the listener and the brain. They balanced each other. Just like the Pretty boy and his girl. The Pretty Boy at least what Ethan had overheard and passed on to his brother, used to be Aiden and then some where Cora was more like Ethan.

Aiden knew he needed someone like that but his attention stayed on Malia. She was still a little wild from being feral for so long, but she was also not willing to take bull from anyone. Although he hadn't actually seen her fight yet, Aiden had a feeling she could take him down in nothing flat. Strangely enough he was actually looking forward to it. She caught him staring at her and looked at him strangely before saying, "What?" in an exasperated tone.

"What?" he asked back knowing it would annoy her even more but unable to resist teasing the younger woman.

"What are you looking at?" she said and sure enough a hint of annoyance had entered her voice.

"You," he said with a cocky grin.

"Why?" she asked and began to examine her clothes and person self-consciously. When she looked back up he was smiling and there was a hint of bashfulness or vulnerability in his expression.

He said simply, "Because I want to."

She gave him a look like she thought he was insane and he muffled his laugh but several of the wolves in the room gave him a look. He didn't mind though, he had the were-coyotes attention, and it was in a Pack who wasn't going to try and kill him for his power, he was happy.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles woke up to a beeping sound and darkness lit by little glowing lights from the various machines, and he groaned softly. Not from pain but from the realization that his Dad and Derek were going to be so pissed. Once again Stiles had managed to get himself hurt of course this time it wasn't entirely his fault. The Darach's magic was trying to keep people away from the root cellar so she would get the power from the sacrifice.

Truthfully, he was a little pissed himself, really the Stilinski's couldn't afford any more hospital bills. Between the fighting the supernatural and he and his dad still being for all intents and purposes human, it was a challenge and a half to stay out of the hospital. He groaned again, still not really feeling any pain.

He discovered why when two red spots appeared right next to his arm. They hadn't been there before and Stiles knew why, Derek. "What are you doing here?" he asked hoarsely. "you should be home resting, keeping an eye on your sisters."

Derek gave a snort whether laughter or aggravation were behind it Stiles couldn't really tell. He figured it was a little of both when the Alpha said, "Really? You're recovering from crashing your Jeep, protecting the Pack from an Alpha attack and saving the Pack elders from a Darach trying to bringing a root cellar down on top of them. Yet somehow you are still able to babble. Unbelievable."

Derek was distracted by the sound of his uncles all too familiar gait as he came down the hall to Stiles room. He had asked Peter to check on the other members of the Pack who had been injured in the recent events, including unfortunately Stiles father. "Don't remind me," Stiles said, drawing Derek's attention back to his mate. He started to lift his arm to rub his scalp only to nearly knock himself senseless with the cast that was on his left arm. "God, dad's gonna kill me."

"What, why?" Derek said protectively.

"No, not literally. It's just, sheesh we end up in this place so much they should have a room just for the Stilinski family. First Mom," hear he paused and swallowed roughly before continuing, "and now with both dad and me getting involved in the supernatural stuff. I don't even want to know what our overall medical debt probably looks like." he said with a forced laugh.

He had forgotten though that Derek could hear his heartbeat and smell the scents of sorrow and stress his mate was trying so hard to hide. On the other side of the hospital wall so could Peter. "God, I didn't even ask, is everybody else okay?"

There was just one of the many reasons Derek loved the teen, "Scrapes and bruises mostly."

Stiles could read Derek almost as easily as the Alpha could read him. "Mostly?"

"Let's just say you and your dad are going to have matching slings. Chris has a concussion and Ethan and Aiden are both recovering from nearly having their necks broken by the Darach. Oh and Scott is now a True Alpha." Some of the worry that had disappeared due to Stiles babbling rant returned when something happened he had never really experienced before. Stiles was rendered speechless.

**XXXXXXXXX**

As Derek came up the stairs he continued to remember what happened in the past several years. Only to see that things had changed dramatically. The moon was beginning to set but the moonlight still bathed everything in the clearing in a silvery light. The area around the Nemeton base was filled with moving bodies and the spark of metal was seen here and there.

Erica and Boyd stood beside each other, hands clasped for support. The pair were obviously trying to protect the two humans beside them. Between the pair were Allison who was up on one knee, bow in hand, her father was beside her, his guns already in hand. He and his daughter were talking softly but it was obvious that sheer force of will was keeping the archer on her feet.

Issac was on the other side of the pair of werewolves, and one of his familiar sweaters was wrapped around Allison. Then Derek saw that Erica, had her hand on the kneeling archer's shoulder and black veins were coursing up her arm from where the pair of girls were connected. The blond werewolves eyes glowed golden. bitten except for her eyes which were glowing golden.

Boyd's eyes were also glowing golden, as he stared into the darkness toward where the edge of the forest could be seen meeting the clearing. Derek saw the younger werewolf flash his eyes at the Alpha respectfully.

Over to another side, also facing the woods, were Ethan, Aiden, Danny, and Jackson. Jackson and Ethan were in front. Danny was behind them and Aiden had a hand on the Hawaiians shoulder. Danny was holding a wood baseball bat that had some symbols etched into it. Derek didn't recognize the symbols but was fairly sure the bat would pack a hell of a punch, if anyone ever actually played baseball with it. He also had a sneaking suspicion that although the bat wasn't familiar to him the owner was down in the root cellar hanging onto his life tenaciously

He heard Aiden say to the taller teen in a husky voice, "I'm telling you that won't work on our kind."

Jackson responded for his friend, "That's Stiles new bat. I have a feeling that thing would work on a kanima, an Alpha wolf or just about anything else."

"Are you telling me Stiles spelled a baseball bat?" Aiden asked incredulously.

Ethan answered this time and with a quelling look to his brother he said, "Look around, we all know that he brought you and all of these others back to life. All in one night. Even if history has changed now he did that, so yeah I'm thinking we're trusting him. We're also being nice to him so he doesn't put you back wherever he found you."

Danny said, "Stiles wouldn't do that." Then he looked at the recently returned twin and said, "He'd keep you alive so he could torture you first." he concluded deadpan.

The Alpha smirked slightly as he looked around for the others in their group. The Sheriff and Parrish bracketed Lydia, both were holding shotguns loaded with some of the specially made bullets, Stiles had given them. The red haired Banshee was holding a shorter version of Kira's blade in both hands.

Meanwhile the kitsune and the True Alpha stood side by side. Her eyes glowed a dark gold and his Alpha red as he slowly shifted into his Beta form. On either side of them stood Liam and Mason, Liam's golden eyes were more subdued than usual and Mason held a lacrosse stick in his hands like it was a sword as well. "They are wolves and not dead or undead so not the things Stiles saw in his dream visions. Doesn't mean they're any less a threat though."

Cora, Laura and Malia were speaking quietly with Peter. When Derek got there the four other Hale family members at him, he said affectionately, "We are a pack, we deal with what's coming as a family, as a Pack. Agreed?"

Cora nodded her head and said, "Agreed." and allowed her brother to draw her into his arms. "Agreed," voices from around the circle chimed in.

Peter pulled his daughter close and looked down at the were-coyote lovingly before looking over at his mate and Allison proudly. Peter wanted desperately to go to the daughter that he had lost and regained, but he needed to face what was coming first, to protect all of his family, all of the Pack.

The five Hales headed to the barrier where Ethan stood facing the tree line. Cora slipped out of Derek's arm and stroked a hand down Jackson's arm as she walked past.

The entire Pack could now see the three young men emerging from the woods and walking toward them. There were two older teens and a younger one who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. Oddly enough the youngest seemed to be in charge.

He tried to cross the barrier and was obviously surprised, when he wasn't able to. Pretending he didn't even notice the barrier he said, "Whoever you are you're trespassing, this is Hale land."

Derek and the remainder of the Hale family came to stand in front of their friends and pack. "Then it's a good thing, we're Hales." said Peter in his usual arrogant tones. "Funny thing, I don't remember you being at any of our very limited family reunions." He said even as memories continued to return to all of them as they stood there within that circle.

One of the older teens came forward and gripped the younger teens shoulder. Which was a good thing as the younger leader looked as if he had just been hit by a two-by-four. The older boy said in awe, "It's them, Seth. We've caught up. We have to tell the others."

The dark haired teen merely nodded his head and the three, morphed into their beta forms and ran back into the woods at full speed. "We could catch them," offered Jackson as he, Issac, and Ethan stepped forward.

"No," Derek said sharply, "One, they said tell the others. That means more of them, it also means they'll probably be coming back here. Save your energy, make them use theirs. Two, it's been ten years, but did that remind anyone else of Uncle Jamie's son, Seth." He said looking expectantly at Cora and Peter. Both nodded at him, looking decidedly shell-shocked.

Derek shook his head and said almost under his breath, "He really did it." Then looking up at the three teens he reminded, "And three if after all Stiles has done to get us all back together again, I let you run off and get killed, exactly how many levels of pain do you think Stiles will bring down on my head?"

"If I know my son," the Sheriff said helpfully, "If any of you end up injured or dead before he wakes back up? I would say that he may just invent a few new levels of pain, murder and mayhem. Just to cover it." The words were spoken clearly and soberly and the werewolves who had listened in, realized two things. One the sheriff was being completely honest and the other which they all had already figured out as a whole they had underestimated Stiles, severely.

Derek looked around to find that Allison being human and a hunter was conserving her strength. Issac had come to sit by her side and the girl leaned her head on his shoulder. Chris sat in front of the pair, speaking quietly too them.

Ethan and Jackson were reacquainting Aiden, Danny, and Erica and Boyd with things that had happened locally and in the world since their deaths. It was a lot to catch up on, and a lot to take in. Luckily they seemed to be handling their reanimation surprisingly well, and without any signs of insanity or psychosis

All around the clearing the Pack were getting acquainted or reacquainted. Derek was pleased with the actions of his family and betas. He knew Stiles would be as well. Thinking of the Spark made the werewolf want to see the young man. He walked back to the Nemeton and went down the ladder.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mellissa was injecting something into the I.V.'s, looking up as the young man climbed down into the root cellar. "I'm giving them something to prevent infection because of the burns."

"Did either of them mention anything about fire to you?" he asked the older woman quietly.

The nurse sighed heavily as she shook her head in the negative, "Neither of them said anything at al about it. I take it they didn't say anything to you either?"

"No. Did Mary tell you how long they might be out?" the werewolf said as he came to stand beside the slightly scorched air bed. Absently he was surprised that the thing hadn't deflated or more frightening fused with the two magic users skin. When it had been subjected to the sudden burst of flame. Then he tuned back in when he realized that Ms. McCall was speaking to him.

"Mary didn't say anything and Stiles said that they really weren't sure because apparently no one had ever tried this before. His best guess at least four days and upward of two weeks. I don't know how we're going to keep them here for two weeks. Supplies alone will become an issue, not to mention, we're all going to have to care for them. I have to work and sleep sometime," she said with weak amusement in her voice. "And that's just for the coma, the recovery after…they may be like this until just before school starts again."

There was something in her tone of voice that had Derek look at the woman sharply, "What aren't you saying?"

The older woman sighed as she said, "I've known Stiles almost his whole life. He's changing. He was different when he came to save us when that dark druid tried to sacrifice us. He was different when we thought he was dying, one second he would be the little boy I'd known for years the next it was like I was talking to someone, something else. That's why we thought he was the Nogitsune for the longest time"

She shook her head as she continued, "Now he's… he's older. I saw it before sometimes, after his mom died, when his father couldn't really handle Claudia's death. His eyes would have this age in them, like an old soul. Then he would hide it behind the sarcasm and Stilesiness."

She looked up at the Alpha and added, "Now he's changed again. He used to be for lack of a better word, Scott-centric. Scott was his world, his center, his brother. Scott knew it and took advantage of it. He would manipulate Stiles, convince him away from other people so that Scott could keep his attention focused on him."

"When they were in the third grade he actually told Stiles Lydia would never like him. It made Stiles more determined than ever and Scott more determined to keep them apart." Melissa continued absently.

"Scott did the same thing to me when his father came back. I recognized it though. Then I started recognizing it when Stiles started dating Malia, I'm fairly sure Stiles did too. He refused to stop dating her even when Scott didn't approve and tried to break them up."

"I knew what Scott was doing. I should have done something about it, when I recognized it" The older woman confessed with shame coloring her voice over her son's behavior, "I don't think he really recognized you as a threat before it was too late and you and Stiles were already involved."

She looked away but not before Derek saw the disappointment in her eyes. "I remember he actually told Stiles that the others going away would be a good team building thing, he made it clear that he didn't consider Stiles part of the team and that he wasn't just talking about the lacrosse team."

It was obvious the woman was becoming more upset as she put to voice things she had kept to herself for far too long. "Ever since he became an Alpha, his childishness, his self-centeredness, its just become more obvious. When he and Allison broke up I actually thought it would be good for him. It would make him mature, it didn't. He nearly sent Issac through the wall just for kissing her. Then he started dating Kira and I thought that would be good for him but I saw him manipulate her as well."

"I'm hoping that since things have changed that it will be better for Scott. Stiles hasn't been so Scott centric and Scott has discovered other people like Kira, Liam, even Jackson and he are closer. So are he and Issac, and of course he and Deaton and now Laura. I just wanted to say thank you…well you and Stiles both for bringing back the son I remember."

At first he couldn't say anything, he could smell how real her fear and concern were over the path she had seen Scott following and her relief over how her son had changed. Stiles had voiced his own concerns and anger over the issue. Derek had also overheard him talking to Mary about it on occasion. He'd also heard it in the tone of voice he used when they were talking about Scott. The Spark had seemed to be outgrowing his friend or at least outgrowing Scott's attitude.

Derek had no idea what he was going to say but whatever it was got interrupted by Peter calling down, "Nephew, they're back"

A strange chill went down the Alpha's spine at those words, two Alpha's couldn't occupy the same territory usually. He and his Pack had proven that theory wrong. Laura, the twins, Scott and Derek were all Alphas. He wouldn't let that happen even if what he thought Stiles had tried to do was successful. He patted the older woman's shoulder reassuringly as he went to the ladder.

The glow of dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky and giving everything a pearly gray appearance. Lydia was there in front of him before he was even able to see the arriving Pack. "Are they going to remember everything like we are, do you think?" He looked up from her green eyes to see the flames in the eyes of the deputy who stood protectively beside her.

"I think this is all part of Stiles plan, Lydia. Still not sure what that is exactly but I guess we're about to find out." he said giving the Banshee a charming smile.

The redhead fell into step beside him and said, "You know you've started doing that a lot more."

The werewolf looked down at Lydia questioningly, eyebrow raised, "You smile more. I'm sure we don't know why that is?"

"Your point, Lydia?" Derek asked but he couldn't keep the smirk from his face as the redhead returned his grin with a knowing smirk.

"You're good together, we approve, all of us including the Sheriff," she said not looking back up at the Alpha as they headed to the barrier. "Pretty much have since you started, not that you need our approval of course."

"Of course," Derek agreed. Parrish flanked the Alpha on the other side, his rifle slung over his shoulder. A grim, yet confident expression on his face. The sheriff then fell into step beside Lydia and the rest of the Pack spread out around them.

The other pack was already approaching the barrier, front and center was a large she wolf with glowing red eyes. Derek stepped up to the barrier and said respectfully, "Hello, Mother," before flashing his own red glowing eyes back at the black she-wolf.

The she-wolf rose from the ground easily, the transformation from full wolf to human easy and fluid. One of the humans who were in her pack came forward and draped a cloak over her shoulders. "Good morning, Derek," replied Talia Hale in her husky voice.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N~ So this would be the first part of what would be Season 3B. The Nogitsune makes its first appearance. I also hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day. In honor of the holiday there will be a love scene in the next chapter. Not telling between whom. There will also be a bit of violence so prepare yourselves. As always reviews, follows, and faves are always appreciated. ~A**

**Chapter 45**

**~Dream Sequence~**

Stiles Wolf ran through the forest, eventually the black wolf would find him or he would find it. In the meantime he was enjoying the forest and the freedom of running through it. The scent of the woods, the crunch of leaves and pine needles under his paws. The slight chill in the air that spoke of the approaching change of seasons.

Then he heard the sound of someone walking through the forest, someone with two legs. Then he felt the pull of the Nemeton. He changed direction, the Nemeton rarely called and this felt almost fearful. He hadn't known a tree could feel fear but this was the Nemeton. Normal wasn't a word one would normally associate with this particular tree.

He pushed himself to run even faster, he broke the clearing in time to see a hooded figure, break a sapling from the tree. Considering all the trouble he had gone through to try and heal the tree, he was pissed. His wolf growled loudly and the figure ran away. Stiles stared in awe and some trepidation as a swarm of fireflies spewed from a crack in the surface of the Nemeton's stump.

The Sparks brain told him we don't have fireflies in California. Even as the swarm disappeared into the darkness of the surrounding woods. He trotted over to the Nemeton to assess the damage and to see if he could get the scent of the person who had attacked the tree. What he got instead was what seemed to be a message from the tree itself. _Danger!_

**~End Dream Sequence~**

Derek found himself once again dealing with bickering sisters and the very odd situation of refereeing his older sisters love life. A situation he would really rather deal with wolves bane laced jock strap than concern himself with.

Decaulion had confessed that Ennis had poisoned Laura. The poison he had used was supposed to have sent the Alpha into heat and being one of the three male Alpha's in the area and the only one suitable for mating, had hoped to coerce the female Alpha Heir into the Alpha Pack.

The Alpha was not known for his intelligence however and had botched the potion so that she was left with lowered inhibitions but no real sex drive to speak of. So basically she had just looked incompetent and/or insane. Deaton however had recognized the symptoms after the Beacon Hills Pack had brought her to see him. Deaton was the emissary for the Hale Pack and the local druid, oddly enough Laura had never really interacted with the druid herself. Her mother had actually mentioned to her daughter that she didn't really trust the healer. Talia had never clarified why, so she had only gone to Deaton when there wasn't another option.

Deaton with the hints from Stiles had figured out a concoction to rid the two Hale sisters of the toxin that the Alpha Pack had poisoned them with. The Alpha Heir had then been informed by her sister and to a degree her brother about what her mother had planned. When she had gone to visit the Alpha pair in the hospital Stiles had apologized.

Explaining that it was his attempt at a treaty with the offer that if Laura couldn't be healed that Derek was a ready made replacement. He continued it was probably that which had placed the idea in Alpha Hales brain sparking her more pragmatic interest in Derek and more homicidal tendencies toward her daughter. Laura had forgiven him easily reminding the Spark he had no way of knowing about her being poisoned.

Soon after that Laura had begun spending more time with the vet until now they were officially an item. Thus the refereeing, while Deaton was obviously interested in the younger woman, sorry there really was no way to hide that from a werewolf's senses no matter how Zen you were. The vet though was of the opinion that he was too old and too set in his ways to be suitable for the Alpha Heir.

His mother was of the same opinion and also was of the opinion that her daughter should return to the Hale Pack. Unfortunately the little problem of attempted filicide stood in the way of Talia's imagined happy reunion. Laura once she had recovered wasn't so eager to return to the Hale House or to the mother who was so willing to eliminate her own daughter to ensure the bloodline would carry on untainted by supposed insanity.

So with Derek's permission of course she decided to stay at the loft. She had actually been fairly supportive of her brother and had actually apologized to Jackson privately. The Beta had accepted the apology with surprising good grace. After he stated firmly that he wasn't interested in joining her pack whether it be the Hale Pack or one she decided to create on her own.

The Alpha Heir looked thoughtful after that and for several days more or less stayed to herself the isolation was very unlike his elder sister. So he took Jackson aside and asked what exactly was said between the two. They both knew it was inappropriate for the Alpha to ask but Jackson had learned a lot from Cora. So as a sign to Derek that he respected his new Alpha. He had tried to tell the Alpha word for word what he had told Laura.

Derek groaned and Jackson looked a little worried at the Alpha's reaction. Derek merely put his hand on Jackson's reassuringly and said, "Not your fault Jackson, my sister has a tendency to come up with ideas out of the blue. You just gave her a solution that will probably only cause more problems in the long run." explained the Alpha.

"Me? How did I…what did I say?" he said worriedly.

"You mentioned her starting her own Pack. Laura is now planning, trying to figure out how to do it, hopefully without starting a war." Derek explained, seeing the horrified look on the Beta's face he soothed, "It's not you Jax its just the way our mother taught her to think. As much as she hates our Mom right now she's following Talia's playbook to the letter." The Alpha said shaking his head with a rueful expression on his face.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles came home from the hospital two days after that, his father had actually been released after twenty four hour observation. He had a torn muscle and a partially dislocated shoulder. He had been back to work almost immediately, against both Melissa and Peter's advice.

To say Melissa was a bit pissed with John Stilinski was an understatement. The man was on her list and she was not quiet or calm in her anger. She had actually walked into the Sheriff's station, and had walked up to the Sheriff and dressed him down in front of his deputies. It was more than embarrassing to have a 5'6" woman stand in front of him and tell him what a putz he was.

When the woman left the cop shop after her tirade. The Sheriff was left embarrassed and chagrined because at least in part he knew that the diminutive nurse was right. He had popped enough Ibuprofen to probably change out M &amp; M's in his candy stash. The fact she had done it in front of the rest of his staff wasn't exactly something he appreciated. The fact that Parrish was now giving him a knowing look, also wasn't appreciated. He was quite sure that when his son was let out of the hospital he would be coming here and another dressing down would be in John's future.

"Parrish aren't you supposed to be on patrol by now?" he said brusquely.

Jordan hid the smile better as he said, "Yes sir, on my way," and was out the door. Haigh was supposedly out with the flu today. It was Monday though so Parrish kind of doubted it. His "partner" was notorious for being a partier, managing barely to get away with drunk and disorderliness, fights, and other violations because the other deputies would call and warn him when he was about to get raided.

Everyone but Parrish which Haigh never ceased to bring up. He had even foolishly challenged Jordan to a boxing match. The idiot thought he could do mixed martial arts because he'd watched a few matches on TV. Apparently his pickled brain forgot that Parrish was ex-military he may have forgotten a few things but not how to protect himself.

Haigh held a grudge though and was constantly trying to knock Parrish down a peg, and everyone else including the Sheriff. Although he had no concrete proof he was fairly sure it was Parrish who had instigated the FBI investigation into the Sheriff and the deaths in Beacon Hills.

As the deputy got into the car, he saw Issac pulling up with Allison Argent on the back of a motorbike. He and his brother still didn't talk much but Jordan or Cameron had looked into what had happened to his younger brother after he had gone into the military. Issac had basically told the Sheriff a watered down version of what his life after the death of his mom and his supposed brother.

Jordan felt an incredible amount of guilt over the trauma his little brother had suffered. He remembered the curly blond kid following him around. A thumb stuck in his mouth and a ratty teddy bear stuck in the other hand. He remembered teaching the kid the finer points of riding a bike, how to talk without a lisp and how to keep secrets.

Parrish got out of the patrol car and walked over to where the teen stood by the bike after his girlfriend went into the station. He was rolling the helmet in his hands and looked up tentatively as his older brother walked over. Jordan said quietly, "We need to talk?" He knew they were the wrong words as soon as he had sad them. So he continued hoping to dig his way out of the already existing divide between them.

"I didn't remember, I still don't remember most of it. Bits and pieces, like a photo album, or scrap book. You see the pictures but if you only see what's in the book and you don't know the story behind it…"

"You have to make one up that goes with it and it's still not complete." Issac said, nodding his head in understanding.

"I need your help to fill in the missing pieces of the story, even the bad ones," Jordan said and saw the teen visibly flinch at the reminder of what the rest of the story would entail.

Issac stared at his older brother pensively for a few minutes before saying, "We're having a cook out behind the loft on Saturday at 6:00. Lydia will show you the way if you want. Just don't be late, she hates that. You really don't want to piss her off." His brother advised conspiratorially as Allison walked back out of the station confidently.

She gave Jordan a friendly if curious smile before climbing back on the bike behind his younger brother. She hugged Issac from behind and the blond teen started the bike easily before backing out of the parking space and heading out onto the street.

Realizing he was now definitely late for his shift the deputy headed back over to the cruiser and headed out on patrol.

**XXXXXXXXX**

While the Lahey's did have their discussion of their mutual and not so mutual family history. It was Stiles preparations for the upcoming barbecue that was causing the most stress. He agreed to let Lydia do the decorating for the upcoming Pack barbecue, with the very deliberate reminder that it was a barbecue, not the wedding in Twilight.

Lydia gave him a thoroughly disgusted look and her own reminder that it wasn't exactly a hoedown either.

Stiles had taken the twins and Issac as his assistants. Something Lydia was not happy about as she was planning on using the three as, her words "pack animals". Stiles had smirked at his friend and said, "Pack animals, good one Lyds. I see what you did there." He then jumped in his Jeep with Issac with the twins following on their motorcycles.

First was Rick's Meat Market. The store itself was only four aisles wide and they were tight aisles. The entire store was well less than 2000 sq. feet and the back was an actual butcher shop where if you stood at a certain angle you could actually watch them cut the meat. Despite the name the actual owner was Chad and he and Stiles were on a first name basis.

As soon as he saw the lanky teen he came from the back to the glass counter swung a beefy arm over and shook the teenagers hand vigorously. Issac growled softly at the slight flinch the Spark gave at still healing wounds pulled tenderly. The store was so crowded and noisy though no one else noticed.

"Hey Chad, how's it hanging?" Stiles asked with a quirk of lips.

"Nice and cold, off of a meat hook, of course." Answered the sandy haired man with answering sarcasm.

"So we're having an even bigger get together than usual so I need to stock up. Lets start with some ribs, okay. We need at least eight racks and I want a good bit of meat on 'em. What you got for me dude?"

"Beef or pork?" Chad asked with a calculating expression on his face as he studied the brunette. The brunette looked over his shoulder at the three other teens. Issac had his hands together with a mock pleading expression. The twins were looking at each other in a wistful way.

"I know what Issac wants. Ethan, Aiden, your vote?" Stiles asked with a chuckle.

"We get a vote?" Aiden asked.

Stiles rolled his eyes and said, "Duh?"

"Both," they said in unison.

"Ok, you got to tell me how you do that." Stiles said. Then he turned back to the butcher and said, "So two to one beef vs. pork ratio." Then Stiles did something in midair, like he was calculating and said and maybe triple the order."

Chad whistled looking seriously impressed. He said, "You guys really are having quite the shindig out there. Let me check my stock and I'll let you have a look to make sure the meat level suits." he said giving a nod to Stiles as he moved back to the back of the shop.

As soon as he disappeared behind the wall that separated the two areas. Ethan moved forward and whispered to the Spark, "He's not human." The werewolf divulged warningly.

"Good eyes," Stiles said patting the werewolf on the shoulder reassuringly, "Issac's been here with me three times and he hadn't caught it yet. He's a good guy, he takes care of our kind here."

"Our kind?" Aiden asked with a snort. Several pairs of eyes including a few that weren't part of their party were suddenly trained on the young werewolf and the smirk slid from his face.

Stiles indicated for the small group to move to the side so other customers could be attended to as they were waiting for the butcher's return. Stiles tilted his head to stare at the twin as he said, "What did you think werewolves were the only things that go bump in the night around here? This is Beacon Hills, the Hales protect the town from things that mean harm but there are things that just want a safe haven, this is that to them as well. So you might want to watch the attitude, Aiden." He scolded lightly.

Chad came back from the back and all three werewolves noses actively twitched, "It's very fresh," the butcher said with pride, as he and then one of the assistants put first as slab of beef and then one of pork on a layer of paper up on the counter.

Stiles took a glove from a box on the countertop and pinched the meat on the slab of beef and then lifted it to compare the two. "If the rest look like that I'll be satisfied. Sixteen beef like that and eight pork." Stiles said before looking back down at what was on display. "Need half a dozen chickens, cut up. A good prime rib roast for two dozen."

Stiles proceeded to order enough meat that the trio of werewolves were looking at each other. Wondering where they were going to put the order. "Tonight I think we'll eat lighter. Were you able to get those planks I asked about?" he asked the shop owner.

A whistle emitted from the older man and several people in the shop covered their ears or looked pained or complained sharply and Chad looked chagrined as he called, "Sorry. Sorry folks." Then he called, "Twink's?"

A short brown skinned man came from the back. He was carrying a slab of wood with him. He was attractive, dark skinned, large eyed and his ears were slightly pointed. He wore scrubs of all things and while there was blood on the garments, the smile on his face was engaging as he held the wood out to the butcher. "How's that suit?" asked the older man as he handed the plank of wood to the Spark.

Once again the Spark tested the thickness with his fingertips and then sniffed the wood. The werewolves didn't have to sniff the plank, they could smell the potent scent of cedar, several people in the shop could be seen smiling and relaxing at the comforting scent wafting through the air.

"Perfect man, as always." He said with a smile to the pair of men behind the counter, "I'll call when we're ready for it to be delivered, thanks. Now we need some salmon for this evening."

"How many were you thinking?" The younger "Twink's" asked and his voice was slightly higher and rapid, before Chad put his hand on the other's shoulder. He seemed to calm and his voice slowed and deepened as he added, "I'm assuming you want whole not just halves."

"Two dozen, please," Stiles said, "and can we get a keg of the specialty brew?"

Twink's smile brightened while Chad's brows beetled as he asked, "You sure, kid?"

"Yep, gotta pay proper respect." Stiles said with a serious expression on his face.

Twink's disappeared and a few minutes later came out of the back. Four other assistants were carrying two huge old fashioned metal coolers between them. The younger man who it turned out was actually shorter than Stiles, was carrying a rather small wooden keg in his arms. Issac smiled as he took the keg from the shorter man and led the way out of the store as each of the twins took one of the metal coolers and followed him out the door.

The trio were finished packing their purchases in the back of the SUV as they were joined by Stiles. "Now onto the farmer's market."

**XXXXXXXXX**

_Everyone dies._

"No," said the human as if they could really resist the Nogitsune. It looked around at the others in the room. Humans, werewolves, the kitsune smelled familiar though he was sure he hadn't met her before. The fact that they didn't even know what she was yet, could be useful in the future. Time was a relative thing though when you're nothing but a spirit and even more so when you've been trapped for… a while in a tree.

The Nogitsune studied the Pack as the human moved through them.

_The Pack, how cute. Like they were a real family._

"We are a family. They are my family and I won't let you hurt them," the stubborn human said without speaking out loud. They moved among the other members of the Pack, not yet even aware of the internal conversation between the Nogitsune and the subconscious.

Suddenly they were being kissed thoroughly and enthusiastically, and the Nogitsune saw it's way past the minimal walls on this one's mind.

_Let me in. Let me in, or I will kill him._

_I'll take him instead. He seems powerful, energetic. _

"You can't," denied the subconscious.

_Child, I am the Nogitsune. The Trickster, the fox. We feed on chaos, strife, pain and sorrow. I will enjoy doing it just to cause you these emotions. Let me in._

"You'll take me and leave them alone?" asked the subconscious.

_I'll take you and we'll have fun together._

A pause and then, "Come in." Just like that the wall dropped and he was everywhere. The senses were sharper, and he could see, hear, smell and taste everyone and everything more clearly. Family, friends, they were setting up to welcome the newest member and her parents into the Pack. A large tent being set up in the middle of the woods. Several large barbecue grills, set up along one side. A table set up at one end with two more extending from either of that one down to the other end of the tent.

Several family sized tents were being set up around a fire pit outside of the larger tent. Hints of magic and musk were around the area. He followed the small group as they headed into the woods at a distance. Knowing the werewolves would hear but the fox's own curiosity how strange they may find it.

He watched as one of the planks with a slightly cooked salmon was placed on the ground near a tall stone cliff stood. The old woman was moving slowly but without effort as she called out in a musical voice. Suddenly tiny sparks of light began floating down and for a few seconds the Nogitsune panicked. Instead of his fireflies though, these lights resolved themselves into golden bodies.

Naked, three or four inches tall, pointy eared, tufts of feathery hair. Huge eyes that stared at the food and the small wooden barrel avariciously. "Pixies," he thought. The mischief makers were being appeased by the clever old woman.

He thought of trying to cause mischief at this moment with this new body. Pixies though were even worse than he was and a great deal more unpredictable. They would also recognize him for a fellow mischief maker and potentially expose him to the others before he was ready. He watched as the tallest of the pixies a male and obviously the leader floated up to the old woman's face. It touched her cheek lightly before floating back down to the repast.

The other pixies were waiting and as soon as the leader began eating so did they. To describe the makeshift dinner would be disturbing. Suffice to say pixies had terrible table manners. Backing out while keeping an eye on both the Pixies and the party from their camp was child's play for the Nogitsune. The fox spirit needed something more a little sustenance. Even if it had to feed on its own host for now.

_Your friends, your family._

_Everyone who ever meant something to you._

_We're going to destroy all of them._

_One by one. _


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N~ Ok I apologize this explanation is long overdue. Several guests have expressed confusion over some of the content. Basically while the Pack has returned to the present within the circle, they are still remembering what has happened up to now. So I will try to define, what's memory, what's present day and so forth. Also there will be parts that involve Mary's old Pack and mate. So here's how I decided to do that. If the regular divider is used it will continue in whatever venue is marked at the top of the chapter.**

**PPPPPP= Present Day**

**XXXXX= Regular Scene Divider**

**~O~O~= Memory**

**VOVOVO= Mary's Pack (also present day).**

**Hope it's not too confusing and that this clears up some confusion. Also there will be parts that are the Nogitsune's thoughts. As you may have already noticed that will be defined in italics which I hope will be carried through when the chapters are uploaded to the site. Kind of a long but necessary explanation. Thank you for reminding me that not everybody can understand my train of thought as well as me. Thanks for your continued support and I hope you guys can enjoy the story a little better now. ~A **

**Chapter 46**

**~O~O~O~O~**

The pack were enjoying themselves, their families stayed behind while the rest of the pack ran through the Preserve. The faster human and non-human members who were able to keep up with the rest of the Pack were having a ball and even the ones who couldn't were still having fun. It was like having a huge game of hide and seek in the forest. It was a huge blast!

Even Mary who was apparently still recovering from being beaten up was having fun supervising the grilling and cooking. Stiles father with Derek and Jordan/Cameron's help were taking care of the grilling, when they weren't in the forest with the others. Meanwhile Mary, Melissa, and Natalie Martin were working on the side dishes which included sautéed root vegetables and salad greens.

Natalie was proud of helping with the salad after her daughter called her out on being one of the worst cooks in the county. She managed to make a huge and gorgeous looking salad with greens that were locally grown as well as some special items that the Pack had harvested from the surrounding forest.

Lydia and Allison were in the kitchen. Lydia was actually explaining to her mom what a lot of the forest gathered food was and having her sample several of the things she didn't recognize. Who knew dandelions could actually be eaten? Allison was standing to the side her hands folded and studying everyone as they moved around the kitchen with a distracted half smile on her face.

Natalie motioned the older teen over and tried to get her to participate. Allison explained a little sadly that her mother had never really wanted her daughter in the kitchen, which had been strictly her domain. Melissa said briskly, "Nonsense all teenagers should know how to cook. What are you going to do when you go away to college, eat out all the time?"

Allison gave Mrs. McCall an odd look and said, "Not entirely sure we'll make it out of this town Ms. McCall."

"You will not talk like that young lady." Mary said vehemently, before adding. "After all that this Pack has been through fate would not then have you fail to thrive or carry on into the future."

The girls both looked at the older woman as she spoke trying to figure out why it sounded like she was saying something else. Almost as if she were saying she or the Pack wouldn't let that happen. The pair looked at each other and then glanced at Melissa. Mrs. McCall though seemed to be gathering the ingredients for the potato salad she was about to teach the young women how to make loaded potato salad.

Lydia shrugged at her friend before moving to the far side of the Mama McCall. Allison shook her head and joined the two women at the counter. She was surprisingly tired for the earliness of the hour. She had been having nightmares about her mother, aunt and grandfather, among other things. Allison hoped the family insanity really wasn't inherited as it appeared to be.

Protect those who can't protect themselves.

**XXXXXXXXX**

He sat on the tree trunk rather like it was his arborial throne. The pearl gray light of pre-dawn had made it easier for him to see his way here and set up for the ritual. Luckily he didn't have far to travel and everyone else was still recovering from pack night.

He kept his pants on this time, the sky clad part of the ritual wasn't really mandatory and besides it had a tendency to get embarrassing to ask your mate to pull splinters out of you after you have been communing with your …well what ever the Nemeton was. If he believed the olden lore, the Nemeton was his familiar.

He wasn't quite sure how that was supposed to work though. A familiar was supposed to give you extra strength and power to do spells, which it did. It was also supposed to protect you, follow you and communicate with you. So far those aspects not so much, although he had felt a connection with the tree, no Ent like conversations had occurred yet.

He had also managed to get away from their camp without Derek or any of the other pack members. Mostly thanks to a little spell Mary had taught him she called Stealth Mode, Werewolf Level. He had a feeling that she had used it against her own Pack while doing spells.

Were-animals apparently really didn't like magic and were concerned see overprotective when the magical among them went off to do rituals like this and insisted on coming along which could affect the effectiveness of the spells or rituals cast.

He felt the vines of the Nemeton as they curled up his arms, wrapping around loosely. He could feel the emptiness of where it was missing its trunk and especially the leaves that fed it. He could also feel the emptiness of the pocket where the lightning bugs had been. There was a darkness in that pocket and he suddenly felt the taste of rot and burn in his mouth.

Drawing his athame from where it lay beside him he shoved the tip into the crack where the flies had escaped during his dream several nights before. He applied pressure and like a blister, the thin skin around the crack in that area ruptured. A black viscous liquid began to leak out and Stiles used his magic to draw it out and compact it before setting it on fire.

He put the athame aside and proceeded with the ritual. The vines rewrapped around his arms and he lifted his arms to the sky. The quiet of the morning was interrupted by a quiet hum. The hum increased in volume the longer he sat in this position, he actually found the hum relaxing like listening to a hive of lazy bees who were waiting for the sun to warm them to wakefulness.

The effect as the sun came up and began to warm his skin, was all very relaxing. If it wasn't for the slight stretch and pull on his muscles he could fall asleep like this. Then a pair of muscular arms wrapped around his torso and he was suddenly upright above the ground. His arms were still stretched to the sky and his now sweat slicked skin was against more skin.

Eyes opened quickly as he heard a voice whisper into his ears. "Stiles, wake up!" Only it wasn't whispering it was yelling, he could tell by the force of the breath across his ear and the movement of the all too familiar chest at his back. Why couldn't he open his eyes. Then there was a sharp pain at his shoulder followed by a suffusion of warm pleasure that elicited quick arousal in the teenaged Spark.

"Derek?" he finally managed, after drawing in a deep breath of oxygen.

The voice in his ear groaned in relief and Stiles found himself sitting in the lap of his mate as the other man seemed to collapse to the earth in relief. "Yes," said the voice in relief before adding, "Stiles, open your eyes…please."

The please was what worried Stiles, Derek hardly ever said please and never in that tone of desperation. Stiles struggled for what seemed like forever to open his eyes. All he managed was what he was sure was a very girly like fluttering of his lashes.

Derek spoke again and said, "Stiles breathe, remember to breathe. Come on love, come back to me." That was a very frightened voice, Derek was never frightened. What was it he was saying, to breathe. Wasn't Stiles breathing?

Stiles drew in a deep breath, and the sudden burn and agony told him that no he hadn't done that in a while and as he began to cough viciously, he did it again. He began to hyperventilate a little, but considering he apparently hadn't been breathing for a while he set that thought to the side.

At least until Derek turned the younger man in his lap to face the werewolf. Stiles felt for all the world like a rag doll. Jade colored eyes studied the teen who's eyes were still closed, as Derek said, "Stiles open your eyes and look at me." This time there was a hint of Alpha command in the voice. While Stiles wasn't actually a werewolf he still felt the need to please his Alpha, his Mate.

He struggled again to open his eyes, then Derek took both sides of Stiles head into his hands and lifted the too pale face of his lover and mate. Stiles finally managed to open his eyes and see the frightened and yes tearful eyes of his werewolf staring at him. "You stay with me," Derek said desperately as he began to stroke Stiles face roughly. Then he planted an almost vicious kiss on the Sparks lips. "You are mine, and you stay with me." added the werewolf possessively.

Stiles hand lifted to the werewolves bare chest and petted the warm skin he found there. Taking a deep breath at the same time as the Alpha holding him, he said roughly, "Not going anywhere Big Guy."

"It tried to take you from me. I felt it, trying to steal you from me." the werewolf said with a lisp and when Stiles looked up Derek's face was in Beta form. Fangs showing, but eyes still the normal if intense green.

Stiles brows scrunched in confusion, he sort of gestured without the usual frenetic energy, it lost something in the translation. Derek still understood him however. He carefully pulled the other young mans arm over his shoulders and stood with Stiles and turned him to face the Nemeton.

The stump wasn't anymore, the tree had apparently been growing during the ritual. Which was what they wanted but not like this, because even as he looked the tree continued to grow but into the space where Stiles had actually been sitting. He also recognized the hangover style headache he felt coming on as a power drain headache.

"Ok babe, I don't think we've quite convinced the Nemeton to turn from the dark side," Stiles said tiredly. Derek pulled the Spark closer with a quick little nudge.

Stiles looked up at the werewolf as the Alpha rolled his eyes at his mate and mimicking the teen he said, "Duh, you think?"

Stiles stared at him for a moment or two his mouth agape, and a quick smirk flitted across his face before he said, "Did you just make a joke about a tree trying to eat me?"

Derek shrugged and said, "Maybe." he said with his own grin.

Stiles patted the werewolf's bare chest again as he crooned in a slightly tipsy tone, "I'm so proud."

Derek looked back at the Nemeton with a hostile glare before adding, "No more rituals with the Nemeton though." His mate said seriously and implacably.

Stiles merely hummed at the older man rather than arguing.

**PPPPPPPPP**

**VOVOVOVOV**

He was dreaming only he wasn't, because he was remembering her, his home. The gray green eyes that looked like moss hanging from the cypress trees. The

brown hair that seemed to change between long and short, when it used to stay long. He couldn't even remember her name now. Well he thought he probably could if he concentrated but he couldn't concentrate anymore.

Instead he could only remember her face vaguely, and that just didn't set right with his wolf. His mate told him she didn't exist anymore. That none of the others who had disappeared existed anymore either, that didn't feel right either. He felt as if he were missing a lot of things, like why they had to fight so often but never as a full Pack but as individuals.

He had tried to ask his mate questions but she never liked it when he asked questions and the sharp pain in his head when his mate was angry was a near constant reminder of that fact. Lane remembered that J.J. had roared in fury when they had told him his mate and children were gone. Despite his own mate trying to soothe the other werewolf J.J. had continued to rage.

Until the men with the souped-up cattle prods had come and shocked him until he was unconscious. His second Beta hadn't spoke to any of the other of the Pack since then other than to say this was all a lie. Since then his mate had not returned to the cages.

He still didn't understand why she had wanted them to move to the cages when they had a perfectly lovely lodge in the woods surrounded by the gardens his ...home had lovingly tended for decades. Forests that provided place for the pack to run and game for the pack to hunt.

He didn't understand where the rest of the Pack had disappeared to, his mate had insisted that his home had stolen them. When his home came and tried once again to tell him his mate wasn't his mate, he'd had no choice. He had to punish her, especially when Tara, his mate had told him to find out where Green Eyes had hidden the rest of the Pack.

The others had been reluctant and he had been forced to use his Alpha voice on them. In the end they still hadn't found out anything and Tara had ordered them to kill her. When they had gone back to the room though she had disappeared. Tara had been furious because supposedly the room was warded. He had reminded his mate that his home had always been a very powerful magic user.

His mate had shrieked like a banshee that she was "more powerful than any old woman!" His mate's anger had been like a million bees stinging and had clouded his mind again. It was right after that J.J. had been told his mate was among the missing Pack members. It was probably better this way Blu, J.J.'s, mate had been looking gaunt the last time they had been allowed to see her.

She was older than her mate but still a beautiful woman. The last time though, she had lost weight she couldn't afford to lose, and even the three cubs had looked underfed. Rhys had been unhappy about that as well. He was the protector of all the cubs in the Pack, as well as the Bolverk for the Pack. It was a strange conundrum and he had received concerned comments from other Packs about the disparity.

Instead of answering the nay-sayers he had merely let them watch the huge dark skinned male interact with the pups and cubs of the Pack. There were no more questions after that. Now his mate wanted to go out and take on other Packs, to gain more territory and Pack members

Considering they had mysteriously lost so many of their Pack it made a sort of sense. The Alpha in him also realized it was incredibly foolish because they now didn't have the additional Pack they needed to take over some of the clans she was suggesting they try to lay claim to. When he still resisted the suggestion, she insisted that they have sex.

Something they hadn't done in a while, but he found he wasn't interested. That was the beginning of the end, or the beginning of the awakening.

When he had refused to have sex and that was another telling thing it was sex not love. The fact that he refused infuriated her and she had left the cage, only to return a couple of hours later. She had smelled familiar but stronger more interesting, but still not that interesting. He had been so far gone that he actually had answered the request for sex with the response that Lane just wasn't that interested .

That was when the illusion had shattered completely. Not only had the werewolf lost control of all of the magic including the illusion o the ravishing beauty, she'd also lost control of her mouth. She had explained at the top of her lungs no less, that she had used magic to glamour herself, to make herself more desirable to the Alpha Wolf and that she and her Pack had then taken the Pack members after she had used the magic to convince Lane that she was his mate not his Alpha Mate.

She had used sex magic to ensnare the Alpha even farther then using a wolves bane laced gas, they had moved into to take the Pack only to discover that most of the Pack including all of the females and children had disappeared over night, including the Alpha Mate. The same Alpha Mate who had warned the men of the Pack against trusting Tara, a lost Omega they had taken in. The one they had attacked out of anger over her speaking against Tara.

Tara had even confessed that her Pack were using the individual Pack members to fight against other werewolves and other supernatural creatures to earn money. A lot of money. Now though they needed to replenish their stock of supernaturals so Tara had been left to manipulate Lane and his Pack to do her bidding yet again. The stupid female was so busy ranting at Lane she hadn't noticed they were no longer under her spell. Apparently it had been so long they were either becoming immune to the magic or it had just finally worn off.

On top of that the confidence of this other wolf pack was such that while Lane and his Pack were in these cages. No one had bothered to lock the doors let alone even bothered to close them. So when the spell was broken and he and the others came out of their cages, Tara wasn't fazed.

She continued her rant and was pacing up and down the hall in front of their cages. Then she started complaining about her own Pack. Lane had no idea who her Alpha was or if she was the Alpha of her Pack. Besides a few humans who carried the souped up cattle prods, Lane was fairly sure they weren't members of the Pack, more like employees. Lane didn't remember seeing any of her Pack.

Tara scowled at him as he stood in the way of her pacing. Lane stared Tara in her eyes, and that was the straw that broke through his memory to Mary. Which broke through to everything else, the breaking of their union. The breaking of their Pack. Tara's men coming for the Pack only to discover all of the children and most of the women were gone.

Several of the younger men and a few of the women had fought but the older men he and the older Betas had not. The connection between the other betas was strained, but still there. JJ, Rhys, and Lane still had a strong connection though and the Betas were behind Tara before she could speak.

Lane smiled at her and his eyes glowed red as he asked, "Where is my Pack?"

His tone was cold but calm.

Tara though was so deep in her own rant and anger she didn't even notice the tone, or the fact that his eyes were no longer dull. "You have no Pack except mine you work for me now." Tara said sharply.

Lane tilted his head and his grin grew, and if anything the red glow of his eyes grew more intense as he repeated, "Where is my Pack?"

"Are you deaf I said you have no Pack. You belong to me now. " Tara said again and this time there was no mistaking the hostility in her tone.

"How much of my Pack is here?" Lane asked a little more casually.

"More like how many are left," Tara said sharply. Then her eyes widened because both Rhys and JJ growled behind her.

Lane leaned forward far into her personal space and said, "Yes Tara, how many of my Pack members are left?"

It turned out that Tara's pack had been the first to go through the fights. She was the only one left, she had been the niece of the Alpha, and had begun dabbling in magic without their knowledge. Tara had drugged the Pack, much like she had done to Lane's Pack.

Two of the young Beta's and one of the stronger female Betas had survived from his Pack. The children and other females had never been found and Tara after some persuasion had finally confessed that eight of his Pack members had been killed in her fights. They still had no idea where the rest of the Pack was when they were done. Something JJ made everyone aware he didn't like.

He took the remainder of his Pack out of that hell after setting the entire place ablaze. He then took them back to the Pack Lodge. It had been ransacked but they put it back to rights soon enough and he and the Pack spent several weeks strengthening their bonds. As he settled in with his Pack he made a silent promise to his mate, "I will find you Mary, I promise."

**~O~O~O~O~**

_Soon we will begin, _

_Soon they will start screaming._

_I love when they scream._


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N~ So sorry about the rather extended delay in posting this but I have decided to change the post date to Fridays and I also had a rough couple of weeks. So yeah there's that**

**Remember ~O~O~ is a memory or part of where I am basically rewriting Teen Wolf. Still not going into Season 5, cause no Derek. What I think that's a good enough reason, don't you?" ~A **

**Chapter 47**

**~O~O~O~O~**

Boyd pulled the blond closer to him as he saw her shudder in response to the crowd of people that were dancing around frenetically to the D.J.'s music. Erica had been cured of her epilepsy when she had been bitten and turned by Derek. It didn't mean that she didn't still get tense any time she was around crowds of humans, afraid of another seizure. Afraid of more humiliation in front of their fellow classmates, Boyd wasn't a very good dancer.

He didn't think of himself as graceful in the least, but he wanted Erica to relax and enjoy herself. They needed after the afternoon they'd had. They had decided to let their parents that they were a mated pair. It wasn't well received.

**XXX Begin Flashback XXX**

His family couldn't care less and had said as much on several occassions. Her family though were convinced that he would drag her down and just after she had been cured of her epilepsy it was too much for them. They had stopped short of disinheriting or kicking her out of the house.

When they had tried to bar the pair from seeing each other though, he had the impression that they were actually expecting her to obey them immediately. Erica had told them rather flatly, "No!" Both of her parents had stared at each other and then their daughter shocked by her outburst.

They had both noticed the changes in her since she had become a werewolf, both of the elder Reyes considered it a fair exchange for their daughter being able to survive to learn to drive, graduate high school, maybe go on to college, and have a family of her own. They had imagined all of this for her without factoring in one very important thing. Erica would grow up.

"We're dating, we are going to continue to date. I'm in a Pack, I'm a werewolf, and I intend to get older go to college, and beyond that well I haven't decided yet. When I do decide though it will be just that, my decision. I would love to hear your thoughts on it but ultimately it's my life and just like becoming a werewolf ultimately it's my choice."

Erica said as she crossed her arms and stared her parents down, "So learn to accept it now. Boyd is part of my life just like the Pack is, deal with it." She concluded with a shrug of her shoulders that was very much like watching a wolf shake it's fur back into place after a dust bath.

The Reyes had a long silent talking look between them that lasted for several minutes. Erica's phone buzzed from beside Boyd. She had left the device on the table partially concealed dangling out of her purse. The larger Beta reached out and lifted the phone gazing at the screen for a second and then his eyes went to meet the blonds dark eyed gaze, before he showed her the screen. She had smiled happy for any excuse to leave at the moment.

**XXX End Flashback XXX**

Suddenly Lydia was there beside them and before Erica could complain she had pulled the other girl over to where the black light paint was set up. The blond instinctively held on to Boyd for security. Let's face it Lydia was a little intimidating. By the time the banshee was done, the pair were walking pieces of art.

Boyd had been forced to remove his shirt to reveal broadly muscled shoulder that Lydia had painted into folded leathery wings highlighted in gold. His face was done to look like a dragon.

Erica's face and arms were covered in vines of flowers and ivy. Lydia had the female werewolf take off her jacket and tie up her tank top to expose the bite mark that Derek had left on her hip. Lydia had taken a rose and wound it around the exposed flesh to accentuate the blonds long waist and then had inserted well placed thorns into Erica's side where the scar was exposed.

The strawberry blond pushed the other girl in front of a full length mirror, followed closely by her boyfriend. The pair looked at each other and Lydia was pleased and a little worried to see the pairs eyes glowing at each other. Until the other artist came back from her bathroom break and said, "Cool contacts where did you get them?"

Lydia covered quickly by saying, "Special order from Hollywood, same person who does some of the special effects…for that werewolf show." she said rolling her eyes even as the other artist continued to gush.

Erica saw Danny and Ethan coming over, Ethan actually smiled at the other werewolves a bit shyly as he half dragged the human toward them. He did sort of stop in front of them and the other didn't exactly expose his neck but he did lower his eyes only to have Erica raise his chin and gave the wolf a kiss to the forehead and then repeated the action with Danny.

Lydia gave them another smile and said, "Shoo, go show off my work. Next?" she called as the werewolf and human came to stand in front of her.

This time Erica looked around and saw other members of their Pack standing around. Scott and Kira were standing not really dancing, then they saw the other pair and Scott tried discretely to warn them about their eyes being on display. Erica merely smiled at him and began to dance with Kira. Which started out awkward but once the other girl relaxed then they were dancing with the boys dancing around them.

Who knew Scott was almost as bad a dancer as Stiles. Who was currently moving spastically with some random girl from school over near the spiral staircase. Yeah sorry but no one would really call that dancing. Erica looked back toward where Kira was now dancing well without her. Only to see what she could only assume was the kitsune spirit within her. She smacked the arms of her fellow Pack members, she actually had to pull Scott's arms out of the air and shake him to get him to look.

All three of them said at the same time, "Beautiful." Before dragging the fox over to where Lydia was still painting in the hopes she would be able to see what they did and bring it to the surface and paint it there.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Jackson woke up reluctantly to the pounding on the front door to his home. His parents were out of town. They were on a business trip or rather his father was and his mother had opted to go with him. They were making a second or four hundredth honeymoon out of it. He'd lost count long ago. They seldom wanted him along on these little couples trips which were nearly all of the breaks they took together.

Now that he had reached the age he could actually be left alone, that's what they did more often than not. Left him alone. After all he could hardly take time from school work. Oddly enough they didn't really want him left alone in the house either. Jackson blamed the movie _"Risky Business" _for this. He personally didn't think he looked anything like Tom Cruise.

Derek had been staying close to Stiles a lot lately. Stiles had half laughingly said, "Who knew tree hugging was so dangerous?" Jackson had promised himself to ask about that later.

Uncle Peter and Chris and Malia were on a camping/training trip in the woods for the long weekend. Issac had gone with them, alternating playing fox to the hounds to Peter for the hunter and Malia. Although sometimes it was the other way around with the Malia or Chris playing the fox. Allison had begged off telling her family she had two major projects due, one for History and the other for Chemistry, that she needed to work on.

So Cora and he had decided to take advantage of the relative quiet to spend some quality time together. He had ducked out earlier in the morning to bring back coffee and cheese danish'. Cora had scoffed at his ridiculously sweet choice in coffee from the local coffee shop but she also loved the cheese danish' from the same shop. A confection that after you had consumed it, you could practically sit and watch your teeth decay in a mirror. She'd had to go to the library to finish up a project of her own for economics.

So Jackson had decided to watch a game on TV only to fall back asleep. A sleep that was being disturbed by a very determined individual knocking on the door. He sniffed as he got closer to the door of the loft, whoever it was smelled like Pack but not instantly familiar. Most of the Pack would have just barged right in without bothering to knock.

He was surprised to see Allison standing on the other side of the loft door. "Hey," he said with a smile, then offered, "You just missed Cora she headed to the library to work on her assignment. Weren't you working on your assignments there?" He asked looking a little confused as he tried to remember if he possibly had been confused about the information he had received earlier.

"Oh I know," said the brunette. "I was waiting for her."

Jackson's expression became even more confused upon hearing Allison's answer. Then he felt the searing pain in his abdomen and a twist that had his eyes roll back in his head as a dark chill went up his spine.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Cora still could not believe that she had actually taken Stiles advice on the subject for her Economics paper. However, the longer she thought about it and worked on the paper, the more she actually got into the subject.

She managed to keep personal and observed anecdotes on her fellow students from both sides of the comparison to a bare minimum, but it was a challenge. By the time she was done with the rough draft she was actually becoming quite proud of the piece.

The thought of comparing the economy of today with the economy of say thirty years ago was genius. Especially when compared to say a teenager of thirty years ago to one from today. Thirty years ago a teen would actually work either in the food industry or on a farm or to actually build something with their hands, usually right alongside some of their family.

Now those same teens not only expected to receive money either from their family members or an exorbitant amout of money and they would spend that money on consumer goods that America would purchase from other countries instead of producing themselves.

Cora had then gone so far as to compare America to a teenager with bulemia binging on goods from other countries, without producing any comparative goods of their own. Then going thru a purge period where their waste went into landfills. Only to start the process all over again in the next season, when the latest and greatest came out.

It was only when she was creating the outline for the paper that she thought about how Jackson might feel about it. After all from what she had heard he, Lydia and to a lesser extent Danny had been among those students who could have been considered economically bulemic.

So she had shown the three her outline, Danny first actually. There were some parts he looked thoughtful and some parts he had actually laughed at. Cora didn't know how she felt about that, but when he said he thought it was incredible. She had smiled and hugged her friend. Then had come Lydia, she had nitpicked about some of the grammar and spelling, but then she had reread the whole thing. Then had shocked Cora by agreeing with the werewolf and saying she was a prime example.

Lydia hadn't said she was going to change but she had suggested the other girl come over for a discussion about the subject and things they might could do at their school to change it. Cora took it as a win.

Then had come Jackson, her boyfriend/mate, he had actually also agreed with her and said, "It's actually really thought provoking, if Coach doesn't agree he's not actually reading it."

Thinking of her boyfriend as she slid the completed draft into the folder she was using for her Economics work. She wondered if they might have time to go to the Black Light Rave. Cora was pulling her cell phone out to call him, when she fell over out of the chair in pain.

She was gasping for air, her chest felt as if someone were slicing her open like a piece of fruit. Then she heard it. The painful whisper, "Cora?"

Then she somehow felt the emotions behind this connection. The feelings of love, the fear of loss, the pain he was feeling. He was the one being attacked not her, although it felt as if it was happening to both of them.

She felt him again and this time she felt the pull. Tossing her bag under the table she took off for the back entrance to the library. She ran for the Preserve. It was after she had hit the tree line that she realized she should have called the rest of the Pack.

By the time she had thought that though, she had already changed and was halfway through the Preserve and to the other side where the Whittlemore residence was located. She had left Jackson there watching a game and nodw he was afraid and in a lot of pain. What the hell had happened?


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N~ Ok so continuity is probably gone right out the window and keeping to the canon of the TV show followed right behind. But I think we've pretty much already agreed that this is absolutely an AU so there's that. This particular chapter is also definitely pushing the T -rating for language, potential sexual content, and violence. So be fore-warned. Also please review constructively, just remember the above mentioned AU status of this piece. Also I hope you enjoy the story. And excuse the lateness of this piece, the power went out. No power, no wifi, no post. ~A **

**Chapter 48**

Stiles wasn't sure what had his mate roaring for everyone to get out of the loft but he knew it had to be important. The Alpha had agreed to let the teens have their rave here, so for him to suddenly change his mind, something must be up.

He ran to the center of the room along with the members of the Pack who had attended. Meanwhile the thoroughly freaked out students were headed in the other direction, toward the doors that led out of the first floor of the building that held the Loft.

Derek caught his arm as the exiting teens nearly knocked the Spark to the floor.

Kira was similarly holding on to Scott's arm and for the same reason. Aiden and Issac had Lydia flanked between them and were physically pushing people out of their way. Boyd and Erica were already at Derek's side. Danny and Ethan were headed toward the rest of the Pack when several shadowy figures materialized around them.

Ethan shoved the taller human behind him protectively. Danny merely patted the Alpha twin on the hip to draw his attention to what was behind them both. More of the same shadowy figures. "Uhm guys they seem to be focusing on us?" Ethan said a little nervously trying to watch all of the masked figures at once. "Why are they focusing on us?"

"They're oni," Kira cried and there was panic in her tone as she continued to explain, "they're…they're not supposed to be here. They are only supposed to hunt for threats."

She saw a loose metal pole hanging at an odd angle from a concrete support and with a kick to the base ripped it loose. Faster than the others could blink she was between Danny and the other oni behind the pair. She swung the pipe and it went through the oni like they were smoke.

"How do you stop them?" Scott said as he and Aiden joined the other three.

Kira took another swing at the pair of oni who were advancing on her and/or the couple behind her with the same result. "I don't know."

The oni thankfully didn't draw their weapons, they just continued to advance toward the couple or the group now trying to protect them. "You said they were supposed to hunt for threats," Danny said, "Why do they think we're a threat?"

Kira looked back and forth between the advancing oni and the couple and said, "Not both of you, just Ethan, because he's supernatural."

At those words Ethan tried to push Danny away from him and Danny was smacking his hands away from him as he focused on Kira. "They don't see humans as a threat?"

"Not the one they're looking for right now." Kira said as she advanced on one of the oni and gave it a kick to the abdomen that actually did push it back.

The goalie gave a smirk and replied, "Good," and pulled a lacrosse move. The boy lunged at one of the oni not only taking the masked warrior to the ground but disarming him at the same time. "Kira!" he called tossing the sword to the younger student.

She tossed him the pipe at the same time. When she caught the sword a sudden charge of electricity arced along the blade. Danny at the same time twirled the pipe in a move that anyone who had seen him play lacrosse would recognize as his signature show off move.

"They don't see me as a threat, they don't see me coming." Danny said for just a moment channeling Jackson. He had been a blocker before he was a goalie, so he knew how to play offense. Lunging forward again he grabbed the wrist of an oni who had gotten too close to Ethan.

Ethan watched in shock as his boyfriend actually proceeded to defend him from the supernatural threat. His decidedly human and breakable boyfriend, was kicking ass, and protecting him, the Alpha werewolf. He couldn't help the goofy grin that spread across his face. Even Aiden muttering under his breath about his brother being a, "Sap," didn't change his expression.

Stiles was there and stopped another oni from touching Ethan by grabbing the shadow figures arm and with a quick move yanked it back away from the werewolf. Then with a push of power he sent a charge of magic through the oni. Oily smoke erupted from around where the Spark was holding the oni followed by yellowish-green light.

Apparently Sparks still counted as human, Stiles thought to himself as he looked into the mask that covered what should have been the oni's face. For a moment the Alpha Mate was fairly sure he had Derek's vision as he saw a little spark of something in the throat of the oni.

He watched as Kira swung the electrified blade at the oni who was trying to get around her to Ethan and watched in shock as the blade once again went through the oni. Only this time the masked figure dissipated into so much oily smoke. With a quick jab of his free hand into the oni's throat Stiles made a fist and pulled whatever the bright spot was back out of the figures throat. The figure dissipated into nothing much as the one Kira had stopped did. Stiles opened his hand to see a slightly squashed lightning bug sitting in the palm of his hand.

Danny was using his makeshift staff to keep two more of the oni away from his boyfriend. When he accidentally swung back and hit one of the painted over windows only to let the first rays of dawn light into the shadowy room that had been used for the rave.

As soon as the light struck one of the oni they all began to fall apart into smoke and dust. Even the small glowing insect in Stiles hand also disintegrated into dust in the Spark's hand. Lydia finally spoke up and the shrill tone in her voice showed just how upset she was by what had happened as she said, "What the hell was that?"

"That…" Kira started and then corrected herself, "Those were oni, they're called when a kitsune breaks it's tail. They are supposed to protect the kitsune or do their bidding." She said and then a guilty expression slid across her face as she added, "As far as I know there are only two kitsune in Beacon Hills. Me and I haven't even earned my first tail yet or my mom."

"So your mom sicced her oni on us because?" Danny asked as moved back to wrap his arm around Ethan's shoulders, not letting go of the iron pipe as he did so.

"I don't know," Kira replied as she continued to look guilty. Scott mirrored Danny's reaction and wrapped his arm around the younger girls shoulders. It was about then that they noticed the sword Danny had stripped from the oni and given to her had also evaporated into thin air.

Stiles felt his own mate pull him close and knew he was probably going to be scolded at a later time for throwing himself into harm's way. As the Alpha Mate and Pack mom though he could rightly argue it was literally part of his job description. With that thought the young Spark said, "Then I think we need to have a talk with your mom Kira. Attacking the Guardian Pack, or one of them at least, of the Nemeton is kind of a no-no. Doing so when your own daughter is a member of said Pack is just plain thoughtless and irresponsible."

Scott and Stiles then looked at each other and Scott said with a smirk, "Dude you sounded just like your dad just then." Stiles who realized the same thing at the same moment face palmed as he agreed, "I'm totally channeling my dad."

"You could do worse," said Aiden helpfully. Stiles looked over at the Alpha twin as Ethan finished his brothers thought in true twin style. "Think Decaulion." he said with a grimace. Several of the Pack members gave a shudder in response to the thought.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Danny was pulled into the room that Ethan had claimed as his own. The older werewolf had checked the room first before dragging Danny into the room after him. He had claimed the room as his own but the truth was the twins were used to being in each other's back pockets and with the night they'd had. He was kind of thinking his twin might have come to his room for a little comfort and commiseration.

He was glad that Aiden had decided to skip the trip down memory lane for the two of them. Ethan had plans to properly thank Danny for protecting him. The Alpha had to admit that the role of damsel in distress, ixnay on the damsel part, was a new role for him.

Danny was laughing though as he dragged the taller Hawaiian into the Spartan little apartment he had. Right now it had a bed, a table and chair which he used for eating and homework mostly. His saddle bags and backpack were in the corner. He basically threw the other boy down on the bed and proceeded to kiss him silly.

It was when the shirts came off and the caresses became slower, more intimate and more intense that Danny began becoming gentler and more sensual that Ethan felt them. He drew back and maneuvered the other boy so that he could see the raised areas on either side of his torso.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or horrified at the scars as he could tell by their size and location that whatever had caused them would have been serious and life threatening. He tried to be casual about it but Danny could tell the werewolf was shaken as he said, "What's this?"

Danny took Ethan's other hand and guided it down the other side to show him the matching scar on the other side. "When I was a kid they had to put a metal bar in my chest to support my rib cage so that my heart and lungs wouldn't be crushed. It was a congenital defect."

The werewolf continued to trace the scars thoughtfully as Danny explained. Then several thoughts occurred to him at once, "Is the bar still in there? Am I hurting you?" He asked worriedly as he lifted his body weight off of the other teen, supporting himself on his arms. Only to have Danny hook his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans and drag him back down across his torso.

"I'm fine, yes the bar is still in there, although it's been replaced about four times now since the first original. If I have another growth spurt between now and when I reach twenty-one I may have to have another replacement. Each time I grow they have to put in a larger one. When I reach twenty-one they're going to reassess and see if the bones have hardened enough to support my rib cage without the bars help."

He said with a lazy shrug of his shoulders, which looked surprisingly sensual, considering they were both laying on a very plain bed. Ethan had the sneaking suspicion that it was Danny himself who caused it to look so erotic. Trying not to get too distracted Ethan asked, "Wouldn't you rather not need it at all? Wouldn't it be better to have no scars?"

He was trying to be subtle about his questions, he had a feeling he had failed though as Danny gave him a knowing smile and explained softly. "No I think I'd still like to keep them both for right now at least. With them there it kind of reminds me what I've been through."

"They make me think of myself as a survivor, I like that, that I survived this thing that was trying to kill me. Me. I'm a survivor. Just like you, your brother, Derek, Erica, Jackson, Boyd….all of us in this Pack. We're Survivors. It's another thing that the members of this Pack have in common, we may not all be werewolves, or supernatural's but we are a family and we are all Survivors. You and your brother included, I'd say that means your exactly where you're supposed to be."

Ethan leaned forward and desperately kissed the taller teen, until they were both breathless. Then he hooked his fingers in the edge of his jeans and slid them off to expose his boxer briefs. "Funny, I thought that you were a protector tonight. My protector at least." He looked thoughtful for a moment before adding. "Don't know much about the oni yet, but I do know that you probably shouldn't have done that. I am a wolf, an Alpha."

"Yeah and I'm one of the good guys, which means going up against the oni to protect someone from them, is absolutely what I'm supposed to do. What we're supposed to do. Remember you're one of the good guys too now." Danny said as he caressed Ethan's cheek with a grin.

Ethan reared back at that and seemed to think about it as he said, "Yeah, I guess I am. I think you're going to have to teach me about this being a good guy. I've never been one before." He said honestly, "So what do we do next?"

"Relax, while we can, you never know what's going to happen next." He said thoughtfully and his ever present smile turned sexy and mischievous as he added. Oh yeah and you have great life affirming sex."

"Life affirming, huh?" Ethan asked and Danny loved how the wrinkle between his eyes made his nose look even more cute.

Definitely oh but don't forget the great part," Danny said with a mock serious front on his face.

Ethan stroked his fingers down Danny's defined chest and said in a mesmerized tone, "Nope, could never forget that." Before leaning forward and taking the Hawaiian's lips with his own.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The hooded figure waited in the lower limbs of one of the trees that rimmed the property. The Beta had actually been dragged from the house and the Nogitsune had been having fun with him while they were waiting. Right now Jackson was hung upside down in the center of the gazebo.

The Nogitsune was waiting for the redhead Banshee to show up. The fox spirit was sure that the lacrosse captains former lover would show up to save him. While the two were broken up, she knew they still cared for each other. Lydia whined enough about it, when they were alone gossiping.

So when a rock came whistling at the fox spirits head, it was only by the creatures experience and the host's own natural agility and abilities that the head was still attached to the body. When the Nogitsune had finally righted itself and went to draw an arrow from the quiver on his back.

That was when he discovered the quiver was empty apparently in his acrobatics to stay in the tree., he had maintained his perch, the weapon or rather it projectiles had been lost. "Clever, very clever," said the thing that wore Allison's face. "One complaint however. A rock, really. I mean come on . Couldn't you have come up with something a little more creative than a rock?"

"Oh you know what they say," Cora replied, her body still very human as she faced her hooded opponent, except for her glowing yellow eyes. Holding up the stick she had picked up on the way here, "Sticks and stones still break your bones." Cora sidestepped to put herself more firmly between the shadowy figure in the tree and the gazebo.

The fact that she was naked between the two didn't concern her, their uncle had taught the three Hale children how to fight naked and without their wolf powers in case they ever had to fight an opponent without their wolf powers.

"Yes but whips and chains excite me," said the voice of the hooded figure as it leapt to the ground and a chain flashed out to wrap around the stick Cora held. It was supposed to wrap around her wrist she was sure as the links had been filed down to a razor sharp edge.

Her opponent had misjudged the distance though, an error the Beta took advantage of. She yanked the figure toward her and twirled the sticker to pull the figure even closer. She then used the stick to spin upwards deliberately extending the claws on her feet as she went by to dig them into the torso of her opponent with deliberate brutality.

Most who saw Cora saw an intense and studious young girl but no one ever seemed to see the predator underneath. Under her uncle Peter and Chris' tutelage she had become a warrior. Although her protective instincts and anger were there they had no place in this battle. When the figure bent from pain she swung the stick at its head and was rewarded with the rather meaty thunk as the blow hit home.

There was another werewolf there beside Cora and she recognized the red eyes and female Alpha form of her sister. "See to your mate," came the guttural voice of the Alpha as she swung a clawed hand at the wounded opponent. Cora didn't need to be told twice. Even from here she could smell and hear the blood that dripped from Jackson's wounds.

Cora rushed the gazebo and leapt to the railing before leaping across to swipe the rope that held the former kanima to the rafters of the gazebo. She lowered the teenager to the floor of the structure gently. Whispering an apology to the other wolf as she broke his wrist to trigger the healing process. She worked to untie the rope as she heard the grunts and growls from the fight that was going on a few yards away.

As she was searching the other werewolf for further injuries she found his cell phone in his pocket, quickly he yanked it out and put in a collective message to the Pack. _**'911 Jackson's house. Now' **_

Then she heard a howl from the fight and looked up in time to see the dark figure running away as her sister still in Alpha form, yanked a knife from the wound in her side. It was the sound of the attackers phone playing the Imagine Dragons, _"We Are the Warriors" _ring tone as they ran away that really caught Cora's attention though. Allison's ring tone.

She ran to Laura's side as her sister shifted back into her human form. Catching the Alpha Heir under her arm before she could fall, she led her sister over to where Jackson lay slowly healing from his wounds. She took the blade from her sisters rather lax hand and smelled it, visibly flinching and barely stopping herself from retching at the strong odor of wolves bane that came from the blade.

"Do you have your kit?" she asked her sister as she helped lower her to sit on one of the benches in the gazebo.

"Back pocket," Laura hissed painfully. Cora fished the kit out of her sisters jeans pocket. The kit was Stiles idea, it looked for all the world like an epi-kit for those with allergies. It hade fake Benadryl pills that were actually one kind of wolves bane and the injection which was a liquefied form of another type of the deadly plant even the capsule with the alcohol in it to swab the injection site was still another type. He and Deaton had made them up using some old kits of Scotts as models. All of the wolves now had one.

Cora sniffed the blade again and gave her sister the Benadryl to open and sprinkle over the wound. She then moved to Jackson and sniffed his wounds as she fished around in his pockets for the kit. She ended up breaking open both mock Benadryl capsules. And was just giving him the injection as several of the Pack members arrived. With a few exceptions, one very glaring one. Allison was missing.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"_Let your plans be dark_

_And impenetrable as night,_

_And when you move,_

_Fall like a thunderbolt."_

_The nogitsune whispered to it's host as they ran into the night, we have lost the element of surprise but we will still win. I have found their weakness._

_We will use it against them._


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N~ Everything except the last part of the chapter are in the past. The last part is marked with the PPPPPPP -indicating the present day. In this instance the Death wolves. Please let me know what you think. Hope everyone enjoys and will review. ~A**

**Chapter 49**

Malia was trying perhaps too hard to shift back to her coyote form. Both of her fathers had suggested that she just relax and she would shift back to that form when the time was right. She wanted to show off to her sister though when they went back.

It might have been a little petty, especially since she really did love her new sister. Allison treated her like a normal girl, not like someone who had been stuck in the woods most of her life as a coyote. Even her cousins Derek and Cora treated her a little differently, explaining every little thing, as though she couldn't remember her life from before.

She knew what a toaster and coffee maker were for and how to work a microwave. She remembered these things, she just wasn't comfortable using them without something catching on fire, or blowing up. Although that was just the one time and how was she supposed to know you couldn't put metal in the microwave. Besides according to her poppa it was an old microwave that needed replacing anyway.

She heard Chris' phone go off and knew something was wrong. It was the wrong time of day for Allison to be calling and she knew her dad's had specifically told everyone else not to call unless it was an emergency. He had even told his customers this, in his stern voice. Then she overheard there two dad's talking about something being wrong with Allison.

When Malia had come out of the woods both of her fathers stopped talking. Then Peter sighed and looked at Chris and said, "We promised to never lie to them again, omission is still lying." Chris had grumbled slightly but nodded and then began packing up camp as Peter explained.

Allison had attacked Jackson and when she came to help him, Cora as well. Then her sister had gone after her other cousin Laura who had come to defend the Pack members and had also been injured. Derek had called them because apparently Allison had used an unusual form of wolves bane or some other plant extract that none of the wolves nor the druid/vet Deaton could identify.

They needed both of her fathers help. Chris of course as a hunter would have more experience with all sorts of wolves bane types and Peter had all of the ore on other plants that might do harm to wolves. Malia took all of this in with growing horror, she understood about being a coyote and was beginning to understand about Pack dynamics. To turn against a Pack member and try to kill them for no apparent reason was enough of a crime to have the other Pack members turn against the enemy within and tear them apart, "Why would Allison do that?"

She asked no one in particular as she went over and shoved her few belongings back into her backpack, her eyes distant as she worked mechanically. "We don't know, honey." Peter said as he helped roll up a sleeping bag.

"We don't know yet," Chris corrected as he put out the fire vigorously. "We don't know yet but we will find out, Malia. Then we're going to do what we can to make Allison better." he added reassuringly.

Malia nodded as she focused a little more on what she was doing to help break the camp down. She missed the worried looks that passed between her two fathers over her head.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Pack had finally had to take Jackson into the hospital, when they realized that his werewolf healing wasn't working. The wolves bane allergy kits even Cora's breaking his arm hadn't caused his healing factor to kick in and none of them could figure out what Allison had done to cause that.

Besides the broken arm, the multiple stab wounds, twenty two to be exact. There was blunt force trauma, at least three to the head, that had caused a fractured skull, a fracture to the jaw and another to the left orbital socket. One of the stab wounds had punctured a lung and then were the blows to the body several fractured ribs one of which had punctured the other lung.

There were other injuries but the doctor who had shown the Sheriff what he had called the miracle. The fractured rib that had punctured Jackson's lung had also protected the heart from being punctured by blocking the knife wound headed for the heart. He told the Sheriff about the skinning which had been apparently interrupted as the skin was still attached and was hanging in ribbons from the teens legs.

When he came out of the consultation with the doctor to explain the situation to those gathered, Stiles had been very concerned for his father. The man's face was actually gray and pasty looking. He had seen a great many things but what the doctor had confided about Jackson's wounds was one of the worst things he had ever seen in his career.

At the present time the doctor had no idea why Jackson was in a coma. The injuries were severe but he didn't think any of them were bad enough to cause the teen to lapse into a coma. He was having another CT scan done of the head injuries and was also going to have the lacrosse player given an EEG to determine if there was some brain dysfunction.

The fact that neither the hospital or the Sheriffs people had been able to get hold of Jackson's parents was mentioned with growing concern. Although the broken rib had not punctured Jackson's heart it was still perilously close to the vital organ and several arteries as well. Surgery was inevitable but the teen was still a minor, permission must be given for more invasive procedures.

The Sheriff told the doctor, "If we can't get hold of the boys parents I will sign the papers taking custody away from them and awarding it to myself with the understanding that any and all life saving procedures will be done."

"I appreciate your fervor Sheriff, but even I know you can't do that," the pretty red-haired doctor said thoughtfully.

"The hell I can't," the older man said vehemently, "Jackson is a part of our family and we're going to take care of this, of him. He is not going to die, not on my watch."

A perfunctory knock on the consulting room door had the pair look up as Talia Hale decked out in a power suit stepped in, "No argument here Sheriff, and just as it should be too. I've taken the liberty of consulting with Judge Haynes. He said as long as there are two consenting adults willing to sign off on it, he's awarding temporary custody and medical power of attorney for young Mr. Whitmore."

"Doctor if you don't mind being witness," she said as she spread a sheaf of papers out on the counter with little sticky arrows where signatures went. "As you can see Laura as the boys," here she cleared her throat giving the Sheriff a pointed look, "Godmother has already signed as one of the guardians. If you don't mind being the other?"

"Damned straight," the Sheriff said skimming the pages quickly. It was obvious that Talia in her hurry to work these papers up had skipped a great deal of the usual legaleze, for which John was grateful. As the senior Stilinski was going through the paperwork, a nurse came into the room to show the doctor some lab results.

"If you'll excuse me I need to speak to the friends of my patient," the doctor said and there was a bit of cold stiffness to her tone that had the other pair in the room looking up sharply. Talia looked over at John as the doctor left the consultation room and John said, "Go," as he continued to work through the documents.

Talia followed the doctor into the waiting room where most of Jackson's Pack were congregated waiting for more news on their friend. As soon as the doctor entered several of them jumped to their feet worried and expectant expressions on their faces. When Talia walked in behind them the expressions changed to fear, suspicion, even outright hostility.

"I need you all to be honest with me, it's a matter of life and death." said the redhead who Talia hadn't even gotten the name of yet. "What drugs has Mr. Whittmore been taking?"

Confusion reigned as everyone looked between themselves questioningly. Stiles and Derek finally stepped forward followed closely by Danny. Derek said firmly, "Jackson doesn't take drugs."

"He's right," Danny agreed, "he doesn't even take Ibuprofen after a really rough practice or game. His body is his temple. Not even steroids or anything."

The woman put her hand on her hip and paced as she rubbed her forehead thoughtfully. "Has your friend been in the woods lately. Camping, hiking anything along those lines?"

Danny gave a half-smile as he responded, "His body may be his temple Doc but the closest Jackson gets to nature on a regular basis is the lacrosse pitch and a tanning bed."

"You're not helping him by protecting him by lying for him" the doctor said as she continued to pace.

"In case you didn't notice it Doc," said Scott and there was no mistaking his waspish tone. "We didn't do a good job of protecting him in the first place or he wouldn't be here." The woman flinched in sympathy as there was obvious guilt and worry in those words. She recognized the McCall boy and the Sheriff's son and the Hale children because of their uncle.

The woman looked at the trio doubtfully, when Stiles added, "We're not lying to you doc. Is it something the attacker could have given him? Cause we're telling you, Jackson would never do drugs." He left out the part where with his healing and werewolf powers the teen really didn't need to take anything.

"It's some kind of toxin, plant based. It's causing his organs to shut down and his clotting factor is completely out of whack. The truth is this just isn't my area of expertise." she said frustrated.

Derek and Talia looked at each other as he said, "I think I know someone who might be able to help. I'll call him but it still might take a while for them to get back."

"Actually I already called," Cora said, "but you might want to give them a heads up about this new development." she suggested.

"I doubt they could move any faster with Ar-Mr. Argent in tow." Talia said without heat.

Stiles and Derek looked at each other with an oddly uncomfortable look as Derek fished his cell phone out of his pocket and headed to the hall for a little privacy.

Stiles muttered lowly, "Oh you might be surprised." He was saved from the questioning gaze the other Alpha sent his way as his father came into the waiting room with the paperwork filled out and handed the doctor her copy to have copies made for Jackson's medical files.

The Spark didn't complain as his father pulled him in close for one of his bear hugs. He knew that what he had seen Jackson had suffered had affected his father and the fact that the other teen was a member of their Pack and Stiles own age had hit a little to close to home for the older man.

**PPPPPPPPP**

Akecheta looked up from where he had been smashing the other wolves face in with a rock. Truthfully the other wolf looked more like a jackal. One that had been killed and left out in the desert sun for too long.

The smell of death was very strong in these things and he honestly hadn't wanted to get within a mile of the things. The job of the Pack though was to protect the tribe, from everything. Their scouts were set up in fire towers around the tribal lands.

To watch for fires, the land was arid and prone to lightning storms this time of year, making it a tinderbox. The warning calls that came from the scouts this time though hadn't been about fire. They were about intruders, strange wolves impinging on the tribal territory.

Akecheta had pulled the Pack together and they had gone after the eight intruders, all of them were still in their Beta forms and were trying to cough up the putrid flesh and blood of the enemies. As he watched he saw his Pack start to change in front of him and heard the screams and cries of their families around them who had come out to help them fight.

He heard their screams and cries as they were in turn set upon by the Pack that had sworn to protect them. Even as more of the dark wolves came out of the woods to join them. This time there was no warning from the sentinel wolves in the fire towers. Akecheta knew there was something wrong with all of this, he just couldn't find it in himself to care at the moment.

After the fifth or sixth kill he couldn't even find it in himself to remember his name or what this place was or what he was. There was only the blood and the killing.


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N~ Because of recent events my posting will be more sporadic but I will definitely continue to be working on this piece. So please favorite or follow and you will receive the story chapters to come. Thank you to all of my followers for your continued support. ~A**

**Teen Wolf 50**

As his friend stood in front of his wife and the pair stared at each other, Lane felt fear lance through his heart, not for himself but for J.J. Blu was 5'2" and looked like a good stiff breeze could blow her over but everyone knew better than to doubt the ferocity of the woman J.J. called Li'l Mama.

For J.J. their current staring contest or in Blu's case glaring contest was caused by him calling her that fond nickname. Then J.J. had seen his three children and the Hawaiian warrior's dark complexion had if not paled definitely changed to a more greenish hue. The children were older, noticeably older. The once infant daughter was now a toddler hiding behind her mothers leg.

The boy who used to sit on Lane's knee was now standing in front of his mother and siblings growling at the three men. His eyes glowing a fierce yellow. The other boy was standing behind his brother, one hand on his brothers shoulder the other on his mothers leg, his eyes were the almost black color of his mother.

There were four women behind her who had belonged to several of the males who had been killed in the damned games. Lane completely agreed with the hard looks he was receiving from those women. Those looks had replaced the hopeful ones when they had first arrived, the glances that had skidded over the trio and looked over their shoulders for their mates.

Men who would not be coming home, all because he hadn't listened to his own mate and had instead fallen for the chemical charms of the traitorous bitch. The only comfort he could give them was the fact that her remains wouldn't be found anytime soon, if at all. For some of them though he knew that wouldn't be enough.

Those thoughts were relegated to the back of his mind though at the moment. He was looking over the children and the women and knew that his family wasn't among those refugees present. He knew he should wait until Blu had calmed enough to accept her mate before he started discussing his own family. Especially since she was currently acting as the stand in for the Alpha but he was here now.

"Where is my mate?" he asked with just enough Alpha in his tone to show respect but also demand it in return. He knew instantly it was the wrong way to go as electric blue eyes stared at him from out of her dark face.

She gave a command in French Creole which suddenly had all of the children and two of the other women heading back inside. The long house suddenly had the windows shut and metal shutters slamming down as the doors were shut and bolts could be heard slamming home. These sounds were accompanied by the snarling guttural call of the female wolf, who had shifted into her Beta form in front of them

What she said next sent ice down Lane's spine. "You have no mate, you have no family. You have no Pack here. None of you do." she said and glared at J.J. as she said it. "I am acting as Bolverk in this Pack and as Alpha in our Alpha's absence."

"You are not welcome here," and he felt the venom in her voice as she said, "You will not be welcome here when the Alpha returns either. Leave or suffer."

Lane felt as if he had been slapped. Then his anger rose, how dare this Beta challenge him.

"You think you can take me Blu?" he asked with a smile he probably shouldn't have used. The females eyes focused on him and despite himself he braced for an attack.

"I was hers before we ever met you, Cassidy." Blu reminded. "You no longer have or deserve our loyalty."

"I will defend this Pack from any interloper. You or others," she said her eyes shifting to J.J. pointedly. "I may or may not survive, but I promise you will bear my mark for the rest of your days. However they are numbered."

Even J.J. stepped back at that warning. It was the warning of a mother wolf. It was a reminder that the females were always the more dangerous, especially when the family was threatened. A family that had once been theirs until they had abandoned their Pack for the scent of another female.

A female who had caused them to abandoned their mates, families, their children. So that now the females were protecting the children from the few remaining males. Without the children there was no Pack, and the females knew this they would kill anyone who tried to do harm and they could be vicious.

Mothers fought dirty.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Although they had been deep in the woods, when they had received the call. Her dad had actually carried her Poppa out of the Preserve. They'd made good time.

Poppa was calling the hospital to find out Jackson's exact condition. The receptionist had recognized Peter's voice and connected the call to the nurses station. He was now getting a run-down on Jackson's condition from the doctor who was treating the teen.

Malia was grooming her father's hair from the backseat. Running her fingers through the hair and over their shoulders to remove the twigs and leaves they had accumulated in their charge through the forest. She managed to find a lab coat and Peter's ID in the backseat of the SUV.

She had just found a jacket for Chris when he squealed into the parking lot and Peter jumped out practically before the car pulls to a stop. Chris pulled into a physician parking space before he and Malia also jumped out of the vehicle. He pulled on the jacket and he and Malia fell into step behind Peter.

Melissa suddenly appeared and fell into step with the werewolf as he slipped into doctor mode. Rapid fire questions were answered by the nurse as they practically trotted to the ICU. If Peter was surprised by Talia's presence in the waiting room, he didn't show it.

The red-haired doctor whose name tag read Dyson saw Peter the same time the rest of the Pack did. She came toward the other physician the same time everyone in the waiting room jumped to their feet. Peter held both hands up to ward off the approaching group with a firm command to "Stay," as the other doctor approached.

Derek scowled, Stiles snorted, the Hale girls smiled a little worried at the command. Chris ignored the command and followed his mate and Jackson's room, which made sense. Peter may know medicine but Chris knew poison.

Stiles grabbed Derek's arm and dragged him down the hall. They came to the hospital chapel and Stiles pulled his mate into the room behind him. He closed the door and asked the question that was on both of their minds, since this had all began.

"How do we tell them that Allison did this?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

Strangely enough Talia Hale was doing her best to stay out of the way and just observe this new Pack.

"Well," she thought. "New might not be an accurate term for Derek's Pack. After all Derek had been made and had been collecting his Pack for a year and a half now.

The Pack bonds were mostly settled now. This was clear by the way they were comforting each other. The Whittemore boys condition was fragile at best. Yet if he did manage to recover he had an excellent support group to help him back to full recovery.

Including her youngest Cora. Which was a surprise as Talia had for the longest thought of her daughter of an asexual creature. The Alpha was also surprised to be getting a maternal vibe from her oldest.

Derek's mate was the one who she had been studying, was a mysterious, potential danger, but also a very protective Pack member. It was during things like this that she missed her own mate. He had been the people person, the observer.

She was having a harder time in the role than she expected. Talia still missed him terribly. She missed his insights and compassionate nature as well.

She watched the Alpha pair when they returned from wherever they had gone. She began to understand Stiles more as she sees the obvious love between the pair.

Dr. Dyson left the ICU and both Peter and Chris began to examine Jackson more closely. The two men put aside their relationship as they worked to determine the poison. Talking back and forth over Jackson's comatose body. They were ruling things out, until Chris suddenly sees something he recognizes.

Something that is an Argent specialty. At the same time he realizes that one person had been missing from the waiting room when they had come through.

"Allison," he whispered.


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N~ Things get even more complicated for the Pack. I hope everyone will read and review. Thanks to everyone. ~A**

**Teen Wolf 51**

"Its Allison," Chris explained reluctantly to his mate. "I recognize the scent and the effects. This is an Argent exclusive concoction."

"Proprietary Hunter goods, lovely." Peter said without heat and with concern in his eyes. "Are you sure it's Allison? Maybe its another member of your family, who's come to town seeking revenge?"

"No," Chris said reluctantly, "This was something I made with Allison, when she was younger. The only other members of our family, who might remember it are Kate, Gerard, or Victoria. I've been keeping track of them. No visitors to the prisons, or anything along those lines. I have the ingredients to make the cure but they're at the house."

Are you sure you'll be safe?" Peter asked his lover seriously.

Chris kept from laughing barely. He may be one of the best hunters the Argent family had ever produced, not to mention packing an entire arsenal on his person at any given time. To Peter though he would always be someone who needed protecting.

"I'll be fine. I don't know what is going on with our daughter right now but I don't believe she'll try and hurt us. I can't believe that." he added a little under his breath. "I won't believe that."

Peter still heard. Werewolf hearing being what it was. He decided to distract his Mate, "This cure you're going to create, how are we going to administer it, preferably without adding to his blood loss?"

"Injection should be fine," Chris explained easily as he prepared to leave. "It was actually designed to be administered by dart, injections will work the same just slightly more sanitary." he said with a grateful smile to Peter for the rather obvious distraction. He kissed the other man before leaving the room to head out to his car.

His hearing wasn't supernatural in origin so he didn't hear his husbands phone ring as he exited. Allison's particular ring tone. Peter was glad his mate wasn't here to hear this particular conversation as Peter the conniver came out to play with his beloved Ally.

"Hey baby girl, how's your project coming?" Peter asked nonchalantly as he prepared things for when his husband got back with the cure for Jackson. He listened closely to the call hoping to recognize something in the background so that they could track their errant huntress down.

Meanwhile he got the Sheriffs attention to see if the man could possibly trace the call. Though he was pretty sure that his daughter was calling from one of the abandoned warehouses in the area, because he recognized some animal noises and a slight echo in the background.

"Not so great. When are you guys going to get back from the woods?" the girl asked and then in a more wheedling tone, "I could really use your help Poppa."

The werewolf recognized the con in the tone, "I'm afraid I had to come back early, baby girl."

"Oh good, so can you come help me with my project?" Allison asked enthusiastically.

"I can't get away right now though, I'm with a patient. Baby girl, I don't want you to panic, but it's Jackson." he added wanting to hear her reaction.

"Oh Poppa, that's terrible. Is he ok?" asked his daughter with what sounded very much like genuine concern.

The Sheriff came in and interpreted Peter's signals and called the phone service to get a trace on the line to try to track Allison's phone.

While Peter worked desperately to keep Allison on the line. "It's still too early to tell Allison. Why don't you come to the hospital though and I'll try to help you with your project while I'm on my break." the doctor offered hopefully.

"Oh no that's okay poppa. I wouldn't want to distract you, maybe I'll get daddy to help me when he gets back or maybe I'll get somebody else to help me with my project. Oh, I know just the person," Allison said ominously, as she added cheerfully, "See yaw' later, Poppa." Before the line went dead.

He knew before the Sheriff said anything it hadn't been long enough to lock down his daughters location. He also knew there were too many warehouses in Beacon County to track Allison down before she was gone again. His lover and her former family had trained the brunette too well.

**XXXXXXXXX**

She returned to the hospital, as it was nightfall it was easy enough to conceal herself and observe the comings and goings of everyone in the hospital. She originally had hoped to see one of her dads or possibly even Melissa on a break. When she saw Lydia come out chatting away on her cell phone as she walked unescorted to her little car, the huntress smiled to herself.

She moved closer to the redheads car as the Banshee used the unlock function on her key bob to get into her car. Allison watched as her friend hung up her cell phone as she slipped up next to the redhead's car As soon as Lydia climbed into the drivers seat, Allison slid into the passengers seat beside her.

"Hey Lyds, you headed home? Mind if I tag along,? she said in a friendly tone. Immediately she felt the tension in the small car ratchet up dramatically. Her smile widened into a more feral grin as she said, "Oh good so you know or at least suspect what's going on."

The huntress or rather the creature that was wearing Allison's body gave a sharp little nod of her head, "That explains why I couldn't get Peter to come out and play with me."

Allison never really took her eyes off of the titian haired Banshee sitting in the driver's seat. "Drive Lydia, I think we should have a chat."

She waited patiently for the other girl to start the car and drive out of the parking area of the hospital with shaking hands. Eyes not really blinking and the just general sense of barely contained insanity was there. The way she was studying her so intently was making Lydia very uncomfortable.

"So why would they let you out by yourself" she asked thoughtfully.

Keep her occupied and thinking of other things rather than you being alone. A voice inside Lydia's head said as she drove aimlessly having no intention of going anywhere near her home. She didn't want to think about. why that voice sounded like Deputy Parrish.

She remembered something then, she still had a key to his place. A fact that she was pretty sure that only she and Jackson knew about, since he and Cora were still fairly new. With that and her knowledge of his house added together and the brilliant mind of Lydia Martin kicked in and she said, "I was supposed to be headed to Jackson's house."

"His parents are out of town…" She acted as if she had just realized she probably shouldn't have confessed that to the other girl.

"And what does that have to do with you?" Allison prompted encouragingly.

"They were hoping I could find information on how to get in contact with them to get medical permission to do certain tests and procedures on Jackson," Lydia replied with feigned reluctance. She kept her expression fearful, knowing Allison had no way of knowing that at one time the younger girl had considered an acting career.

Even going so far as to play the lead in the school play for which she got four standing ovations something that had never happened before or since in the schools history. Her thespian skills were surprisingly good. Until she had decided to stop playing the longest role of her life as the vapid airhead bitch and just be herself. Brain and all.

She watched as the dark eyes that had once belonged to her best friend turned calculating. "Far be it from me to interfere in a mission of mercy," Allison said as she indicated with a hand gesture for the Banshee to continue on to Jackson's home.

The redhead checked her current location and headed down one of the many all to familiar routes that would lead to the blond lacrosse captains residence. Lydia had a feeling at one time she could find her way to his home blindfolded from anywhere in Beacon Hills.

Truthfully she probably still could have done so even though they had been broken up for several months now. He had moved on though and Lydia was trying to do the same and she so didn't need to be thinking about this right now, she thought nervously.

As she pulled into the curved driveway of the Greek Revival that was the Whittemore home, she pulled up the layout of the house. She knew that the brunette was probably not as unarmed as she appeared. Her timing would have to be precise.

She wasn't really as surprised as she should have appeared when Allison relieved her of her bag. She was glad she made it a habit to change the password to open her phone every week and had just done so earlier today. Not that Allison knew that either. Lydia unlocked the front door easily with the key she kept on a chain under her shirt. As she thought to herself rather how little her friend actually knew about her.

She wondered if that didn't make her paranoid or just really suspicious. Or maybe she just had been hanging around Stiles a lot lately. Considering she was actually in real peril at the moment, she could actually hear Stiles in her head saying in his snaky tone, "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you." She barely stifled the laugh as Allison gave her what she was sure was supposed to be an intimidating stare.

Allison though had nothing on her Poppa. Peter Hale could do intimidating without really even trying. The man could charm and intimidate at the same time and that was a skill Lydia would love to learn from the older man. Lydia headed towards the older Whittemore's home office. The room was done in brown leather and hunter green.

Lydia began searching through the paperwork on the older mans desk. As though she really were looking for the information to track down the elder Whittemore's. She knew they never really left that sort of information behind when they left town. Her mother had always said that the Whittemore's were some of the worst parents she had ever met. They provided Jackson with everything he wanted and nothing he needed.

Allison was looking at a display of old weapons on the wall, when Lydia took her chance. Pushing the concealed button on the table lamp, she dived through the opening in the wall behind her. Once inside the panic room she slapped a button on the wall beside the doorway to seal the room. Then went to the phone and called Jordan, or Deputy Parrish.

Lydia had been listening to her own words as she watched Allison on the monitor pound on the door to the concealed room. She wondered if the Deputy might think she was off her rocker. When he took everything she said in stride she realized the Sheriff had probably told at least Parrish and probably all of his deputies about what was going on. Well maybe not the supernatural stuff but the Allison having gone nuts.

She watched as Allison looked around for the concealed camera that looked down on the entrance to the panic room. When she found the tiny camera she smiled at it and the expression was immensely disturbing. The normally sweet looking Allison was replaced by a wickedly smiling dead eyed creature.

Lydia realized that the supernatural and a suddenly insane and homicidal Allison were not necessarily mutually exclusive. She turned on the intercom that went through to the house and considered her next question carefully before asking in a casual tone, "So what's your name Hitchhiker?"

Allison's smile was even wider as she replied, "Oh Lydia, you always were the clever on. What makes you think this isn't me, though?" She said as she turned and leaned casually against the door of the secret room. Looking for all the world as if she were waiting for the other girl to get out of the bathroom or something so that they could go out for a night on the town.

She looked up at the camera again and said, "What makes you think that I haven't been trained for this since I was a little girl. You do remember that I'm a hunter, don't you Lyds?" The girl snorted delicately.

"I remember that you're a hunter Allison. I just don't remember hunters being merciless usually." the redhead responded through the intercom. Thinking if she kept the other girl talking Jordan would be able to take Allison into custody and resolve this with a quick little exorcism ritual of some kind.

"Clearly you don't remember the rest of the Argent family too well." Allison said with a smirk. The females are the planners and the men are the hunters. I'm the best of both."

"Not to toot your own horn, of course." Lydia said with her own smirk. "Except your not Allison, or at least not exclusively. So what should I call you?"

"Hmm," the thing smiled thoughtfully and said, "I'm so old even I don't remember it, but then its not my name your looking for, s it. It's my species. Perhaps you should ask my ex's new boo."

Then Allison's head snapped around as if she heard something that Lydia couldn't. She looked back up at the camera and said with that same deadly smile, "You invited someone else to play in our little game, how exciting. Catch you later Lydia."

The brunette was gone but Lydia didn't move until half an hour later when Jordan appeared in the office, gun drawn and calling worriedly for her. Lydia put the code into the panel by the door and came out of the Panic Room.

The deputy kept the gun in his hand and his head on the swivel, while drawing the strawberry blond in close to his side with his free hand. Lydia asked half tremulously, half jokingly, "What took you so long?"

**XXXXXXXXX**

Chris checked the small lined box sitting next to him on the passengers seat. It was still secure in the seat but he was driving carefully along the somewhat potholed road. He and Allison had moved out of their old house after Victoria and Laura had gone to jail.

The place they had now was isolated, secure and peaceful, but not without its faults. It had kept them more isolated but also made it more challenging for Allison to socialize with her friends. Which in hindsight might not have been the best idea..

The friends…no the Pack needed each other. Chris realized that he needed to stop thinking like a hunter and start thinking like a member of the Pack. He was an official member of the Pack, even if it was only by his mate hood to Peter.

He broke out of his thoughts and slammed on the brakes as he realized that there was someone standing in the middle of the road. An attractive young back woman stood in the middle of the road with a long metal tube in her hands. He looked across to see that the antidote had slid to the floor of the SUV and that the box and hopefully canister were still intact.

He looked back up in time to see the rather small woman lift the rather large tube to her shoulder and he suddenly recognized it. Scooping the container off the floorboard he dove out of the drivers side as the woman fired the rocket launcher at the SUV.

Chris ended up in a sprawl because of his hasty exit from the vehicle and the added impetus of the explosion. His bell had been rung, and the disorientation and blurred vision indicated he probably had a concussion. He looked up at the woman as she stalked toward him. A 9 mm in her hands pointed at the hunters head.

Well if he was going to die today at least it wasn't going to be at the hands of his own child. While his ears were still ringing he was able to hear the young woman's husky voice, she said, "So we get to meet at long last. I have been hunting you long enough, Desert Wolf. You ruined my life!" As she spoke her voice raised till she was yelling near the end. "She sad pointing her weapon at the older man, her hands shook slightly as she continued to move closer to the prone silver haired hunter.

The hunter wasn't looking at the armed young woman though, he was looking into the darkness behind her as he said in a surprisingly calm and soothing voice. "No killing, remember protect those who can't protect themselves.

A deep voice from the shadows, "Just one problem she seems really capable of protecting herself." Growls echoed from the forest in agreement. The woman turned quickly at the sound of the voice and growling.

Chris's feet kicked out and took the woman out at the knees the 9 mm went off into the forest and suddenly they were surrounded by a trio of teenagers with glowing eyes. The woman pretended to be more wounded and afraid than she actually was, as the slender blond man and the voluptuous blond woman pulled her to her feet.

Even as a large black man helped the Desert Wolf to his feet. The woman kicked out and did her best to shove the kids off of her. The pair weren't trained but they were astonishingly strong. Instead of them going down they took her down and the Desert Wolf said, "We don't have time to deal with you, right now. Call the Sheriff's office and one of you are going to have to get this back to the hospital for Jackson."

The hunter watched as the younger male pulled a zip tie from one of the many pockets and applied them to the woman's wrists. While Chris pulled the box, from the inner pocket of his jacket and showed it to the trio. Issac took the box, as he looked into Argent's eyes and said, "I'm the fastest, I'll get it there." The curly haired wolf headed down the uneven road with surprising speed and agility, disappearing into the darkness.


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N~ Ok so this is a little late and a little long. They kind of cancel each other out. Very happy that everyone is enjoying this story. Thank you for reading. I think after this story I may take an extended leave to kind of work on a few story ideas. Thanks to all my readers for keeping me going. Reviews would be great though. Posting of chapters will still be sporadic though. ~A**

**Chapter 52**

Stiles looked up as the hunter came into the hospital room. He didn't really seem to be rushing, he was walking but his strides were long-legged and swift as he walked down the hall. His expression grim but determined. The Spark meanwhile was doing his best to stabilize the Beta as best as he could. Jackson's vital signs had started dropping significantly a couple of hours ago.

To the point that Peter had actually looked through the observation glass in a panic at Stiles. The teenager hadn't hesitated a fact that his father was obviously proud of. He may still not be sure of exactly everything that was going on in this town but he was sure of a few things. Things that went bump in the night were real. There were good and bad ones, just like there were good and bad human beings in the world. His son was one of the good ones.

Chris walked over to where Peter was studying some of the lab work. He looked up from the paperwork as soon as his lover came into the ICU unit. The two men conferred for several minutes before they figured out a way to get the cure into Jackson's system. Peter administers the drug with nearly the entirety of the Pack watching.

At first nothing happened then after a few minutes everyone noticed an improvement in Jackson's vital signs. Even though the majority of the Pack had no medical experience, they'd seen enough medical dramas on TV to recognize the improvements when they saw them.

Stiles heaved a bit of a sigh of relief and there were a few muted cheers from the Pack gathered in the ICU waiting room. For which they got scolded by several of the medical staff including Peter although the grin he had on his face belied the sharp tone he used.

Stiles shuffled out of the patients room to be engulfed in the arms of his Mate. He merely made an "Oomph" sound as the rest of the Pack closed in around him for a group hug. None of them said anything they merely stood around the Alpha pair. Chris and Peter were standing in Jackson's room staring out at the group with affection. Laura however was standing outside the group staring at her brother and sister wistfully as they stood in the middle of their Pack.

A slender arm suddenly snaked out of the knot of people and snagged Laura's arm and dragged her into the group. This movement was followed by a ruffle of the hair by her brother. A gesture he had started when he'd had a growth spurt and had gone from five feet eight inches to over six feet in the span of a summer. She hated it and loved the gesture at the same time, and had to smile as she scent marked her brother and sister deeply. Before repeating the gesture with all of the members of her brother's Pack.

The action simply wasn't done, an Alpha showing affection to another Pack was unheard of. The fact that her brother accepted it without comment and even returned it, especially after all that had happened she should have been gob smacked. Cora merely slapped her sister in the shoulder and said, "Don't over think it sis. Just go with the flow."

After everyone eased out of the group hug, Derek went back to being the Alpha he sent several of the Pack members, including his own mate home to sleep, eat, and do homework. He wasn't going to let them get out of school work, just because of a family emergency. That didn't mean he wasn't going to leave Jackson unprotected either.

"I need volunteers, to stand guard over Jackson while he's in the hospital. In his current state he can't defend himself and until we have proof, no one's going to believe that Allison is the one who poisoned him or did all this damage to him." Derek said seriously. Immediately the twins agreed to stay to watch over the Beta, while he was recovering.

John protested, "I think it would be better if I left two of my men on Jackson's door. After all it is what the Sheriff's Department is for."

"Yeah except the department is really short-handed right now, remember dad? So why don't you take the help and use those deputies where you need them more." Stiles reminded.

"You really do know a little too much about my work son." The Sheriff said before agreeing reluctantly to his son's plan, to leave the two werewolves as security for the teen.

Stiles tells his dad, "I'm going to crash at the loft since you're going to be working tonight dad." The Spark heads out to his jeep. While Derek stays behind to work out the schedule so that the Beta would always have at least one werewolf guard on duty.

The Alpha tells the rest of the Pack, "You all head home until its time for your shift to guard Jackson. Get some sleep everyone." He said as he set a chair near the doorway to Jackson's room.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Scott was actually texting and messing with his phone outside of the hospital. His mother was getting off shift in about a half an hour and rather than go home and wait he had decided to wait for her and escort her home.

He still couldn't believe his sweet Allison was this, this thing. Jackson still hadn't woken up. Ethan and Aiden were playing their part and his mother had promised to introduce them to the oncoming shift. The official story was that a gang had invaded Beacon Hills and were attacking random teens and others. The Whittemore boy was unfortunately just the latest victim.

The grape vine in a small town was all that people said it was. He imagined by the time his mother got off shift the whole town would know they had a dangerous gang in town doing random acts of violence. Although no one was sure if this group of kids could really help if the gang did attack.. The normal citizens of Beacon Hills were convinced of one of two options.

Option one was that the Sheriff and these kids were really a bunch f kids that had been caught in the middle of a gang war, through no fault of their own. The other group were convinced that Whittemore were all part of some kind of gang themselves and they were in the middle of a war with a rival gang who were trying to take over Beacon Hills.

Scott shrugged as he waited. "Not that far off really." he muttered thoughtfully as he continued to study the media feeds on his phone. Then his phone buzzed to let him know that he had a text from Kira.

She texted, _**Are you okay? How is Jackson?**_

Scott texted back. _**I'm good, just waiting on my mom right now. Jackson is still unconscious. The twins are watching over him. Allison is the one who attacked him. Still not sure why. Stay away from her and warn your folks.**_

There was a long pause and for a minute Scott thought she may have gone to bed or something when suddenly there was another ding on his phone. _**We think we may know what happened. **_ Came the cryptic response from the other teen. _**Will be there soon.**_

The werewolf heard the sirens before he saw the frenzied activity that indicated there was bad coming into emergency. With a resigned air he texted Kira back, _**I'll be here.**_

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was more than a little worn out when he got to the loft. That didn't mean he didn't realize that he had company waiting practically as soon as he arrived. He opened the sliding door to the loft and said amiably enough. "Good evening Allison. Or would you like to tell me your real name?"

"Allison will do nicely for now." she said an amused tone.

"Would you like something to drink? We have bottled water, sweet tea, orange juice, a couple of sports drinks. I wouldn't recommend the tap water. We haven't gotten around to upgrading the plumbing yet, unfortunately."

"I'm fine thank you," the possessed girl said with a slight nod of her head. She stepped away from the panoramic view from the large wall of glass that looked out over the Preserve and the hills beyond.

"Care to have a seat," Stiles said indicating the work table and the backed stools.

"I must say," the hitch hiker said as it took the offered seat and turned to face Stiles as he joined her at the table. "Your being very cordial about this whole thing."

"My mother taught me well," Stiles said with a slight bite in his tone now before adding, "I'll assume your upbringing was a little less a matter of honor and manners and more about violence and chaos."

"Oh I assure you over the centuries I've learned quite a bit about human rituals and mores. I just found them to be a useless affectation for an equally useless species." the cold voice coming out of the smiling and sweet faced Allison was disconcerting.

Stiles had begun to learn from Mary over the past several months that it really wasn't a good idea to let the enemy see when something bothered you as they would ultimately try to find a way to use it against you.

Although technically an emissary usually didn't have to take care of something possessing one of the Pack members often, it wasn't completely unique. The problem was emissary's usually would eliminate the threat, as in kill the possessed individual.

That's why the emissary was usually a neutral party, no messy emotional attachments to get in the way. Stiles wasn't going to be a normal emissary though. For one thing he was also the Alpha Mate, which meant the entire Pack minus the Elders were like his cubs. Even if most of them were the same age or even older than Stiles. Allison wasn't going to die if he could help it.

He saw the expression change just slightly to something less recognizable as Allison, as his expression remained neutral. "Obviously you find something useful about us, or you wouldn't need to keep hitching piggy back rides from us." Stiles said evenly.

The thing wearing Allison's face scowled at being corrected, then smiled like a young woman with a secret, "Oh, I agree. You do have the most amazing capacity for causing chaos and mayhem. Your creativeness in the mediums of blood and destruction are unbounded."

There was a sparkle in her eye as she added, "You know with certain individuals there is really no need for me to do a great deal. A little encouragement here, a slight nudge there, a tweak to an already nearly foolproof plan are all I need to do."

"This one," she continued with a tap to the temple, "hardly needs any help at all. I can't tell you the number of plans her family had already planted in her beautiful little brain. She has a fantastic imagination as well, she took those plans and the permutations…. I just love the permutations."

"Fascinating, and yet instead of out causing trouble, you're sitting here talking to me. Why is that exactly?" Stiles asked his face still expressionless as he placed his chin in his hand and stared back at her unblinkingly.

She looked at him her expression slightly disappointed as she said, "I thought that would be obvious, I want something."

"As I said previously, sort of figured that out by the fact you're here, not out there somewhere wreaking havoc and mayhem on the citizenry." Stiles clarified. Luckily maintaining the unusually stoic façade he had been sporting for some time now.

"Oh I agree that there is a time and place for general chaos but I'm talking about targeted terror, Stiles." Dark eyes sparkling with insanity stared at him, as she continued, "This time it was Jackson. Next time what if it's one of my daddies, or Lydia."

"Yes the Banshee, seems a good target as she's still new. She's not familiar with her powers. I think it would be good to have a little fun with her." she goaded, trying to get a reaction out of the Spark.

"Derek might be a bit more of a challenge, but he does seem the type to take a bullet for a Pack mate doesn't he. Added bonuses, he is the Alpha so if I happen to take him out, the rest of the Pack will be weakened at least temporarily while a new Alpha replaces him. Then on top of that there is the fact that he is your mate and part of the Hale Pack, yes it would definitely have a multitude of advantages to it."

"Or maybe I'll just go after your father." the older teen said slyly.

Stiles eyes snapped up then to meet the dark eyed girls with eyes suddenly burning like embers. "I think you better tell me what you want Faker, before I get _bored ." _He said coldly.

Still playing the young woman said, "You're no fun."

"I'm tons of fun," the Spark said, his expression not changing one iota as he continued, "Until I'm not. Now what do you want?"

She looked at him for a minute longer until she recognized that he really had no intention of continuing to play her game with her. She pouted but she wanted to take advantage of these few minutes and she really wanted this artifact out of the protectors hands and in her own.

"Very well," she said with a huff. "The Hales have an artifact, a round wooden box with their family's mark carved into the top. You've bonded with the Nemeton right?"

Stiles nodded reluctantly, studying the skin bag she was wearing. Really could this one be more annoying? "Good then you should be able to recognize it's wood. The box is made from the wood of the Nemeton. I'm not really sure which one of the Hales has it but one of them is protecting it."

"Bring it with you to the school tomorrow evening. Well…no.. I guess its later this evening now." She said as she glanced at her cell phone. "Tick tock, Stiles, tick tock." Allison said as she stood and left the loft as calm and cool as if she owned the place.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

When Peter's shift finally ended he and his mate exited the hospital. Although Peter was exhausted and upset about the young werewolf in the ICU but he also knew they needed to decide what to do with the former Marshall.

The fact that the young woman was obsessed with his mate and now insisted on blaming him for the loss of her job, had Peter's hackles raised. Needless to say the Bolverk was always very protective of his Pack, but his mate and children were beyond the norm.

Allison's absence and obviously strange and dangerous behavior had the Beta wanting to go and track his daughter down. Considering the way she was raised though that would be potentially suicidal, especially in the dark.

They arrived at Chris warehouse where Boyd, Erica and Issac were waiting with the incensed Braeden. The dark haired woman was tied to a chair with a gag stuffed in her mouth. Peter raised his eyebrow at the younger Betas questioningly.

Erica replied to the implied question, "Her voice was getting on my nerves," she explained testily.

"Challenging to interrogate someone when they have a gag in her mouth." Peter said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Issac always quick to please, removed the gag from the woman's mouth quickly and carefully.

"You don't have to interrogate me," Braeden said harshly. "I'll tell you why I'm here." She said looking at the two men. "I know he's assassinated several people and that they were part of the supernatural. When I tried to tell my bosses about the supernatural angle they fired me for being obsessed with the Desert Wolf cases."

"They refused to listen to me." she continued bitterly, "They fired me when I wouldn't let it go."

"Danny looked her up, she's a mercenary now," Erica said helpfully as she paced around the other woman. "Kind of altruistic but she isn't completely ruthless and isn't beyond helping our kind. Although you usually do have to pay her."

Boyd caught the female Beta by the nape of her neck and reeled her to his side. The large Beta continued to massage the blonds neck for reassurance. Chris replied, "I don't suppose it matters why those people died?" the arms dealer asked.

"Why would it?" Braeden snarled.

"Because they were killers," Peter interjected angrily.

Braeden's head snapped around to look between the two men before asking, "What are you talking about?"

The couple looked at each other, as though they were having a conversation in that gaze. Chris sighed and shook his head, "The people who died were rogues werewolves or other supernatural's who had killed humans."

"Or didn't you do your research?" Issac asked. "It's not like it was that hard for Danny to find it out. Course _he has _skills."

The mercenary bristled before asking in a brittle tone, "Are you saying this is online?"

"According to Danny all of this stuff about the people who were assassinated being suspected of various murders and other crimes. Yeah all of that is online." Issac responded seriously.

"Yeah, so why was is it you didn't know it?" Erica asked and there was no mistaking the nasty tone in her voice. "Better yet why didn't your bosses know it. After all the government has even better computer experts than Danny so why didn't they know. Why didn't they tell you all of this?"

The expression on Braeden's face was indescribable. Doubt, anger, several other emotions flitted across the expressive and beautiful face. She looked at them her face hostile and suspicious. Erica answered the expression with her bitch face, but the others wore open expressions not without a little suspicion on Peter's face.

They weren't lying she would bet her Glock on it and she loved that gun. Her mind, her wild angry thoughts suddenly focused to laser beam clarity. Certain things she had heard, looks she had seen, disparate little its and pieces that hadn't seemed to fit into the puzzle of the Desert Wolf, fit together into a different puzzle.

It was part of a larger puzzle and there were some rather large empty areas in the new puzzle but there were also a lot of players that fit into that puzzle. Players she knew all too well, some of them she was even related too. Although why they would be against these people was still a mystery to her.

She was so focused on her own thoughts it took her a few minutes to register that something had happened in this small group around her. For one thing the man who had stood beside the Desert Wolf, was actually releasing her from the chair.

She stopped him as he tried to return to the other man's side. An action which had everyone else bristling in the large bare walled place. Peter raised his hand and the growls from the werewolves ceased. The hunter who had his gun aimed at the woman paused as Braeden asked, "Why?"

Peter merely smiled and there was a cold expression in his eyes as he said, "I've not been a good person for a long time," Peter said and there was no remorse in the confession. Chris made to protest, only to have the werewolf shake his head at his lover, "At first I did the things I did because my sister commanded it. Or because I perceived it was for the good of the Pack or my family."

"Now I have a new perspective. My daughters, my mate, my Pack has changed me. Made me a better person. I will still defend them, protect them, maybe even kill for them. But I will also have to set an example for those who come after so I will think about it more. You are going to be the start of that for me, so I thank you for that." As he finished the statement he extended his hand to her.

Braeden studied the man she had been chasing for four years and rose from the chair. She grasped his hand and felt him shake it firmly before releasing it and returning to the silver haired man's side.

The mercenary drew a deep breath and said, "Decaulion is the one who let me know where you were. Just so you know I don't think he was doing it to set you up. I think he knew this would happen," she continued, indicating the space between she and Peter with a wave of her hand.

"I have some things to clear up and I may come back if that's okay?" she asked a little more timidly.

Peter and Chris glanced at each other before nodding at the young woman. She glanced over only to discover that the teenaged werewolves had already disappeared. Apparently having decided that the fact their elders had released the mercenary meant their services were no longer required.

"You know where to find me." Peter offered, his face slid into it's Beta form and he looked over at his mate before adding with amusement lacing his gruffer tone, "I'm not hiding."

With that the two men headed out of the warehouse hand in hand.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Scott had stopped hanging around the entrance to the emergency room when the ambulances had started arriving at the entrance. By the time that Kira and her mother had arrived he was out on the sidewalk nearer the parking lot.

He had heard that there was an explosion at the Sheriff's station he had already called the Sheriff and found out that he was fine but that there were several of the deputies who had been seriously injured in the bomb blast.

The fact that it was a bomb and not some accident like a gas leak had been confirmed by Parrish. Interestingly several of the victims said that at the moment of the blast, a fiery angel-like being had protected them by gathering several of them under the protection of it's wings.

This only served to convince several of the hospital staff that some gas had been involved and that the group were suffering from a group hallucination. Scott hadn't stuck around after the doctors started talking PTSD and psych evals. He rolled his head around on his neck trying to release some of the tension in his shoulders.

He didn't want to think it but he was pretty sure that Allison had been taught about explosives and so forth by the Argents. He just didn't have the guts to call and ask Chris Argent if that subject was really on the Hunters training regimen or not.

The wind had actually picked up around the hospital and he began to hope that Kira would get here before what promised to be a doozy of a storm hit. He also hoped that his mom would be done with her shift before the bottom fell out. He hated riding his motorbike in the rain and he didn't want to ride with his mom and leave his bike here either, especially not in the rain.

The rain started almost as soon as he had the thought. It was bad enough, the rain seeming to come down in sheets but the addition of the wind had the rain swirling around and soaking everyone and everything. The addition of the crowded entrance to the emergency room, and slick roads had one of the ambulance drivers swerving, sliding, and slamming into an electrical pole.

Scott started to run forward to help as did several others when the electrical line came loose from the top of the pole. The line sparked and whipped around like a living thing. Suddenly he saw someone flip off the top of a car to catch the line. It wasn't until she landed about twenty feet in front of him, that Scott recognized Kira. Before he could say anything she closed her eyes and wrapped her bare hand around the sparking end of the electrical cable.

The power of the electrical lights on the hospital sign and the facility itself. Kira opened her eyes and their eyes met, hers glowing orange. Scott felt his own eyes flash golden at her and she smiled. She carried the cable over to the bottom of the power pole and dropped it there in the grass. Scott noticed that the end of the cable was no longer sparking.

He wondered how she had done that and as a host of other questions occurred to him. A woman he vaguely recognized as Kira's mom was trying to hustle her daughter away from the gathering crowds. Scott added a little wolf speed and was suddenly in front of the duo. "So," he said conversationally, "is this what you wanted to tell me?"

The girl extracted herself gently from her mothers grasp as she said, "Some of it. Can you handle this?"

Scott looked around to see the crowds that had come to help were more interested in a couple of people who had been shocked and the patients that had been in the ambulance that had wrecked, than in their little group. He still guided Kira and her mother to a darkened part of the parking lot to continue their conversation.

"Truth for truth," he said honestly. "If you can handle this I can handle your secret," before shifting in front of the pair.

"Wolf," snarled Mrs. Yukimura.

"Kitsune," said Kira with a wide smile as she reached out to touch Scott's ears wonderingly.

"What's a kitsune?" Scott asked.

Despite her mothers repeated attempts to shush her daughter, Kira proceeded to tell him about kitsunes, the history, the different types, and about the Nogitsune. "Basically it's a Void, it's always hungry and it feeds on chaos, mayhem, strife."

"So how do we stop it? How do we force it out of the host, without hurting the host?" Scott asked.

Mrs. Yukimura answered and there was no mistaking her hostility as she said, "You don't? It has to leave the host willingly, and it's not going to do that unless the host is dead or dying. The host is a friend of yours?" she asked, not without compassion, "The only way to save your friend is to kill them. They will be dead but at least you will have saved the lives of hundreds of others as well as the soul of your friend from the corruption of the Nogitsune."


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N~ Sorry about the double post of the same page last week. I have since corrected the issue. Hopefully this week will go a little more smoothly. Please review, it will help me write better and hopefully faster. Thanks for reading and viewing. ~A**

**Chapter 53**

So basically you're telling me that there is no way that you know of to save Allison?" There was no mistaking the obvious distress he was under. Kira looked over at her mother and there was an expression of hope on the younger woman's face.

The elder Yukimura woman looked a little regretful when she said, "To my knowledge other than killing the host and trapping the fox spirit magically. There is no other way of defeating the fox spirit.

The werewolf continued to listen as Kira explained her own mother's history with this particular Nogitsune. Scott looked at the older woman and there was no mistaking the hostility in the younger werewolves expression. "So not only did you never warn anyone about the fox spirit you trapped in the Nemeton, you also never warned anyone about releasing the Oni. You didn't even warn your own daughter."

He looked at Kira before drawing her behind him protectively and saying in an even more hostile tone, "Wow and here I thought my dad was a shoo-in for the worst parent in Beacon County. I think you may just have him beat." He said staring the other woman down. "That being said, I think you'll understand when I tell you with complete and total honesty, I don't believe you."

"Anyone who's that willing to sacrifice her own daughter to save face." Scott said with a shrug, "Something tells me you wouldn't care if the whole town had to pay for your mistake to remain hidden." He looked into her eyes, his own going golden again as he continued, "I have no intention of letting Allison go that easily."

Scott drew the timid young Yukimura away with him. Her mother was so shocked she didn't say a word. Or perhaps she was so intimidated by the young Beta that she chose not to escalate the confrontation from what it had already become.

Scott didn't talk again until they had returned to the emergency room entrance. Although the steady stream of ambulances had tapered off from before, there was still a lot of action going on. Scott released Kira instantly when he heard the slight gasp of pain and he realized he had practically manhandled the younger woman into following him.

"Sorry, really sorry," he said as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Derek's number with one hand as he used the other to draw the younger womans pain whil also trying to study her injury. With all of the excitement he wasn't even sure if his Alpha was still in the hospital or had headed on to the loft.

Considering the relative quiet of the background whenever Derek picked up he figured the older wolf was either at the loft or on the way there. He told Derek what he had found out including about the explosion at the Sheriff's department.

He explained that so far as he knew there were no fatalities at the station. He also said he was pretty sure that the Sheriff and Deputy Parrish were fine. About that time another patrol car pulled up to the emergency room entrance and Parrish climbed out.

Scott wasn't sure if the older deputy was so focused on his passenger that he didn't see the Beta. Or maybe he just overlooked the werewolf. He was trying to decide when he finally noticed who the passenger was, "Lydia?" he cried.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles sighed heavily as he clicked his phone off and set on the work table in the loft. Mary despite her aversion to technology had managed to leave him a voice mail that for some reason he had only just received. Basically once again she had had to go out of town to take care of some mysterious business.

Sighing once again the Spark heads upstairs to Derek's and his bedroom. Even though Peter had given up his bedroom upstairs, Stiles still didn't invade the space.

He joked that it was because he didn't want to uncover the skeleton's of Peter's past victims. In truth he just felt that the space should be left in case someone else needed it at some later time.

The Spark shuffled up the stairs tiredly. He barely managed to shuck off his clothes before he showered and then crawled into the bed he shared with Derek. The Alpha still hadn't arrived home and Stiles intended to wait for the older werewolf, he really did.

The truth was that after stabilizing Jackson, the visit from Allison and Mary's unexpected departure, the young Spark is exhausted. He manages to fall into a fitful sleep. It probably would have been a deeper sleep he was definitely

tired enough. Without Derek there to anchor him though, his sleep was riddled with dreams including one of his wolf dreams.

**Begin Dream Sequence**

**The white wolf ignored the pain in his side to race after the fleeing figure. The small shadowy shape ran through the woods in front of him. His wolf senses probably weren't as enhanced as say Derek or Scott's, but he could see the smaller shape fleeing among the low lying plants and shrubs. A rustle here a scuff there, the slight shape moving in the moonlight.**

**He knew this was a dream, but he was so deep in the dream he couldn't even remember why he needed to catch this prey. Why he was so desperate to capture, not kill this fox. He knew he was being led deeper into the forest and there was a part of his mind that was still human enough to suspect a trap.**

**Then he smelled it and although he was intent on his pursuit of the creature. That smell, that odor, made him stop and follow the scent because it was all too familiar. He veered off and slowed from his single-minded pursuit.**

**He moved more cautiously through the underbrush, the scent was stronger as he continued moving deeper into the forest. When he finally stepped into the moonlit clearing he could feel the gorge rise into his throat. There lying before him were at least thirty bodies, and there was no doubting that many if not all were dead. **

**There were from what he could see were many different methods of death. Some were burned, others were dismembered, some looked as if they had been in some kind of explosion.**

**All of the bodes were in various states of decay, the smell of which was what distracted the white wolf from his pursuit of the fox. Although he didn't want to get any closer to the bodies something drew him deeper into the field of corpses.**

**That was when he started recognizing some of the faces amongst the many there. Aiden, Boyd, Erica, Matt, Lydia, Derek and Scott were among them. The white wolf collapsed with a mournful howl and whimpering into the blood soaked earth of that place. **

**The fox came upon him then it's dark shape clearer in the moonlit clearing. Then he heard the rustling at the edge of the forest and several of the Night Breed came out of the forest and one of the red eyed ones stroked the head of the dark fox.**

**The white wolf whined pitifully for it's lost Pack as he looked into the eyes of the fox he saw a light flitting around in them. A firefly. He watched as the red-eyed Night Breed slammed it's claws through the little foxes body pinning the little creature to the ground. It's dying screams of pain didn't last long.**

**The white wolf saw the red eyed zombie wolf retract its claws to head in his direction. The loss of his Pack had taken his will to live as well. Whatever sense of self-preservation he'd had , ended along with his Pack. **

**As the red eyed leader of this Death Pack raised his clawed hand for the killing blow, the white wolf watched the fox dissolve into dust. The firefly he had seen in it's eyes escaped only to be captured in a wooden box with a triskele on the top that matched the tattoo on Derek's back.**

**End of Dream Sequence**

For the first time in several months, Stiles woke screaming from a dream. It was the first time he had ever woken from one of his wolf dreams terrified. The thing was he wasn't terrified for himself but for his Pack. The people he cared about had all died from this coming threat.

Derek was there in just a few seconds, his arms wrapped around Stiles. Then his legs were also wrapped around the younger man as his voice husked soothing nonsense into his ear. The Spark finally calmed and his head fell back on the shoulder of his mate.

"I don't know what we can do," he admitted, still half sobbing. "I know how to trap the thing inside Allison. I have no way of getting it out of her without killing her."

It took Derek too long to answer, and Stiles knew what he was going to say before he even spoke and was already shaking his head in response as Derek said, "That's what we may have to do then."

"No, Allison is one of us," Stiles responded angrily. He didn't try to escape his lover's embrace. The truth was he was still too shaken from his dream to leave Derek's loving and supportive arms. "We can figure a way to set her free. I'm not willing to make that sacrifice."

"Maybe we won't have to," said a voice from the door to their rooms. The pair looked up to see Chris Argent standing in the doorway, flanked by Peter on one side and Malia and Issac on the other. In Chris' hand was what seemed to be a slim silver tube.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Peter guided Stiles to the Nemeton. For the first time since he had renewed his relationship with Chris, Peter saw Stiles as a teenager, someone who needed protection. When he and Chris and the remainder of his family had shown up at the loft this morning, that opinion had changed drastically.

**Flashback Begins**

The Spark had looked pale and hollow-eyed, frail and yet determined. He had told the Pack members, about the dream he's had. When he had described the box, Peter had given a snort of amusement that made everyone look at the Bolverk strangely, especially Peter.

"Before Talia took my memory I was so pissed with her for forbidding me from seeing you, I decided to take something of hers." Peter explained , "Our grandfather gave her a box, made from the wood of the Nemeton. It has slots in it where the claws of the Alpha's were to go. It was supposed to be a progressive thing with each generations Alpha, leaving their claws for the next."

"I don't understand," Stiles had said looking between Derek, Peter and Chris. "What's so important about the claws?"

"Alpha claws," Chris clarified, "are supposedly where the memories of a Pack are stored. Each generation stored together, think of it as a family archive of very detailed journals, all stored together and if you knew how to access it. You would have the knowledge of all of the past generations of all of the Alpha's."

"Exactly, I took that and hid it." Peter said. "Without her knowing and now after the fact, I think it was a terribly appropriate. She took my memories and I took her history, her legacy. If only I had known what would have come later, I would have taken Chris and the box and run for the hills of Alaska or Canada and never come back."

Stiles merely smiled wanly at the Beta and patting his shoulder he said, "Yeah but then you never would have met me or Lydia or any of the others." he reminded.

Peter seemed to think about that statement and nodded his head as he said, "Fair enough. It would have been a good life, a very good life," he said looking at Chris and Malia as he replied, "Just not quite as interesting perhaps. I still would have gone though."

"So where is the box?" Derek asked impatiently.

"Where the very unimaginative Talia would never have thought to look." Peter said with a vicious grin.

**Flashback Ends**

When they arrived at the site of the Nemeton Peter halted on the edge of the clearing. Staring at the area where the Nemeton had stood for centuries. Only to find the tree, not the stump that had stood there for decades, but an actual tree.

True it wasn't back to the size of a centuries old, spreading branches clear across the clearing. The roots were spread far and wide across the clearing but it was still a sapling in comparison to what it had once been.

"Still growing I see," Stiles says thoughtfully and soothingly like a mother to a small child that had accomplished a milestone in it's childhood. Peter was nonplussed when the tree root near his foot seemed to respond to Stiles voice and tried to move toward the Spark.

Peter steps back away from the root and yanks Stiles back with him away from the seeking creeper like appendage. "You are not getting any closer to that thing right now." The Bolverk stated with concern clear in his voice as he studied the root system in the clearing.

A little breathless at the unexpected movement Stiles agrees, "Yeah this is a lot more active than I was expecting." he says also looking around his feet as he reassures the werewolf, "I have no intention of becoming a sacrifice to the Nemeton, today or any other day for that matter."

"Good then we're agreed." Peter said firmly, "I'll retrieve the box alone."

Stiles is nodding his head, when Issac pipes up, "Nope, not agreed, and not alone." he said, as he was stripping down to his running shorts and t-shirt. When Peter started to say something, Issac merely added, "Not negotiable."

"Well," Peter said staring at the younger werewolf, "Don't I feel overdressed." The older Beta removed his jacket and over shirt, revealing clearly defined musculature with the white wife beater he was wearing. The two conferred for a moment as Stiles started speaking to the Nemeton. His eyes were embers and black as the two began to play what appeared to be a maniacal game of hopscotch across the field.

The two had very different styles getting across the field. While Issac depended on his enhanced speed to avoid the roots of the Nemeton, Peter was more secure in his agility, so he literally was leaping between the roots of the ancient tree. They both ended up at the same section of the tree at about the same time. A fact that would be hotly contested at later retellings- Stiles was sure.

The pair knelt and Peter spent a couple of minutes unearthing an area of depression between two rather large roots. With a snarl of triumph he pulled the box from the earth. During happier times Issac remembered his father using matched from a similarly shaped box to light fires in their fireplace.

They had never been from a wooden box obviously carved by hand. Those boxes also hadn't emitted a hum as it had come into the light of day. This box did. The pair turned back to where Stiles stood only to find that the roots were literally moving to block their path.

Except they weren't. Green and gold glowing circles almost like stepping stones were interspersed between the roots of the tree that were trying to join together to block the way back to Stiles.

They looked across the clearing and saw the teen pale and sweating, eyes a stark black against the pallor of his face. Malia had moved to his side and was quietly supporting the Spark whose face was set in a grimace. When the pair of werewolves hesitated by the Nemeton, his voice rang out through the clearing.

"You mind getting a move on, don't think I can hold this all day," he said through clenched teeth.

The pair were off like a shot, Issac had to pay more attention to where he stepped on the way back. Peter was carrying the box like a football and made it back first and turned to look back at the other werewolf, just in time to see a root reach up to trip the younger Beta.

With a toss, the box was in Malia's hands, the Bolverk was back three paces and had caught the younger wolf by the scruff of the neck and had tossed him in the direction of his daughter and the Spark. Then flipped over the frighteningly writhing root system to land in a heap by the trio.

Both men were sweating and flushed, Malia watched as the three men collapsed beside each other. Issac suddenly began to giggle uncontrollably and said, "I love this family.


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N~ As this is AU, the scenes are sporadic. Oh and please note the footnote at the bottom. Thanks for your continued views and reviews. Have a Happy Mothers Day for those who are mothers. If you're not mothers, then remember your own mothers on their day. In honor of mothers I added a little scene at the end. Hope you like it, let me kow. Take care all. ~A**

**Chapter 54**

Jackson snuffled and nearly sneezed when he got a nose full of long, clean hair. The Beta went to stretch and groaned pitifully as every inch of him screamed what a bad idea that was. He felt a weight along the right side of his torso and another on his left hip.

The scents around him were of antiseptic and strong cleansers. There was a heart monitor nearby, and distant voices. Finally risking opening his eyes, Jackson blearily saw he was in a dimly lit room. The observation window let light in from the hall outside.

Enough light so that he could see that Cora was curled up beside him, her head on his shoulder. Danny was holding his left hand and the Hawaiian's head was pressed against his hip. The Beta's face screwed up in an expression of fond disgust as he realized that Danny was drooling on his hip.

He heard a noise at the doorway to his room and saw Erica and Boyd staring in at him. Boyd took off, while Erica gave him a grin and a wave. He knew Boyd had probably gone to let the nurses know he was awake and to notify the Alpha and the rest of the Pack.

He was loved. The lacrosse captain thought facetiously to himself. Then he noticed the grin that was still on Erica's face as she blew him a little kiss before she stepped back out the door and scanned the hall. He looked down at the young woman curled into his side, her fist clenched in the paper thin hospital gown he wore. Danny was still drooling on his left hip, his fingers wrapped around Jackson's wrist.

Thoughtfully, the teen wondered if his own parents were in route or had already arrived and were taking a break. Then he realized it didn't really matter. He had a family outside of the couple who had adopted him. His Pack was his family. They were concerned about him and yes they did love him. Even if he was a douche sometimes, or worse.

Enough to potentially risk their own lives to stand guard over him, when he couldn't protect himself. Enough to know how much he hated being alone so they stayed with him so he wouldn't wake up alone. Then he saw pajamas, his ratty but warm terry robe and his sheepskin lined slippers again warm. He knew Lydia had brought those because he was always cold natured.

He felt Cora stir beside him and when her chocolate colored eyes met his she whispered, "You're awake," and she started to hug him and he winced. He started to answer her and that's when he realized exactly how thirsty he was and how sore every part of his body was, including his throat.

Careful of the tubing and wires attached to Jackson's body Cora still managed to slip off the bed and pour the other teen a glass of water. Adjusting the straw so that he could drink the refreshing liquid, Cora watched as he drained half the glass in one long swallow. His throat worked for a few seconds before he was actually able to get out, rather huskily, "It's Allison, she was the one who did this to me."

"We know Peter and Chris figured it out, about the same time that they figured out what poison was used on you," Cora answered softly. Danny though had heard his friends voice ad his head popped up with a slight groan as there was a pop from somewhere on his body.

"You're awake!" he said enthusiastically, as he wiped drool surreptitiously from his cheek.

"Yeah, not sure if my body's happy about that or not yet," Jackson said with a pained grimace. "Thanks for staying with me, guys."

"Sure, what are friends for," Danny said with a sweet smile, a mischievous glint entered his eyes as he added, "Somebody had to save you from Cora's wandering hands. I swear I think she has a thing about wanting to play doctor, or something."

Cora gave the taller teen a warning growl, just before a doctor and nurse walked into the room and stared down his nose at the trio. Boyd was back at the door and was glaring at the physician's back before he and Erica had a somewhat intense exchange. Jackson would have tried to listen in but he felt Cora tense beside him.

"This is the ICU visitors aren't allowed after hours," the man in the lab coat said harshly. "Nurse."

"Dr. Hale, said they could stay." The nurse said in an aggravated tone. "If you had bothered to read the chart you would know that." It was clear the nurse had been dealing with the man's attitude and was already at her wits end.

"Dr. Hale is a surgeon and is not responsible for what happens in the ICU." the doctor said pompously. "Now get them out of my ICU."

"No," Jackson said just as pompously, he tapped into his inner douche bag and added. "I don't know you. You're not my primary physician or Dr. Hale. So you're not touching me."

He pushed himself up in the bed and managed rather manfully he thought not to groan too loudly at the move, before continuing, "This is my fiancé' and my best friend, they stay. They," he said indicating with his chin the couple standing in the doorway glaring at the doctor, "are part of my security team, they stay. You however can leave, right now."

"I have had just about enough of this, they're disturbing my patients." said the doctor who had still not even bothered to identify himself to the occupants of the room. "Call security and have these juvenile delinquents thrown out and I want the lot of them banned from the hospital."

"Yeah, good luck with that," said an all too familiar voice from the door. The Pack members all relaxed although if the anyone had bothered to look they would have seen that both Boyd and Erica's eyes were still glowing golden. "One, there is this little thing called the Patient's Bill of Rights, he can choose who he has as his doctor. He clearly doesn't want you. So if anyone is leaving it's you."

"Second as my father is the Sheriff and requested Jackson have security, I don't think you can gainsay him in that matter. As he is also Jackson's temporary legal guardian, the patient can have proxy's who can stay here with Jackson when he can't. Fairly sure that list is in his chart, and we're all on it. Now if you had bothered to ask nicely, I'm sure they would have told you that." Stiles said and there was no denying the snark or anger in the Spark's tone as he continued confidently.

"You didn't bother with nicely though, as the only one disturbing _your patients _is you. Now since Uncle Peter is right behind me and he's a little… territorial about his patients, perhaps you'd like to move on to someone you can actually bully into doing what you want. Like the coma patient in the next cubicle." he tilted his head to the side and gave an unblinking creepy, Grinch smile to the older man.

The man in the lab coat stomped out of the room, muttering imprecations under his breath. The long suffering nurse who followed in his wake, gave Stiles a wink and a grin. "Prick," Stiles said succinctly.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The new moon was coming up and Derek was feeling restless. Werewolves were at their weakest during this time of the month and as a trained huntress he was fairly sure Allison and her hitchhiker would know this. He had a fear that the huntress would attack his Pack when they were at their weakest. It could be possible even for them to be defeated by the lone teenaged girl.

His mate had left the Loft this morning to go and check on Jackson and run some errands. Ever the Pack mom though he had made sure that his Alpha and the rest of the Pack members had breakfast. He even took a lunchbox with several covered plates of breakfast food for those who stayed the night with Jackson.

He hadn't exactly chosen Stiles more like their souls had chosen each other. In truth he couldn't have chosen better for himself. Then his wolf growled at him, reminding the Alpha they had chosen Stiles. He lifted the pillow from their bed and scented the place where the Sparks head had lain the night before.

Lust rose at the familiar scent of his mate that lingered on the pillow, Derek was tempted to relief himself of the sudden hard on. The pair had promised each other and Stiles father that Stiles would keep his virginity until he turned eighteen. Actually a major concession by the younger man's father. He had started out with demanding they wait until Stiles had graduated college. Not that waiting until he graduated high school wasn't hard enough on the two, but there were things they were able to do to ease the sexual tension without breaking their word.

Scott thought they were ridiculous and tried very hard to get them to break their supposed celibacy. Mostly by bragging about his own sexual exploits to Stiles. The teen though had merely looked at Derek longingly and yet passionately then just smiled the most contented smile as he had said, "I can wait."

Derek was sure that Scott would be a good Alpha some day. The teen was already a good leader and had an incredible moral code he tried to live by, sexual exploits notwithstanding. Although his strategies were effective he had to understand he was part of a Pack, that he needed to learn to rely on more. His recklessness and naiveté weren't exactly positive traits in the supernatural world he was now a part of.

Derek heard Chris stumble down the stairs from the room they had once been Peter's and that they had used last night, rather than ride all the way to Chris' apartment. The human shuffled into the kitchen and ignoring Derek went straight for the coffee pot with only a mumbled, "Caffeine" as any form of greeting.

The Alpha actually snickered as the muttered undertone sounded for all the world like the muttered cravings of zombies from a truly horrible movie they had watched for their Pack Night. Scott called it a classic, his mate had called it a spoof at best and a C-rated movie at worst and the entire assembled Pack had then proceeded to have a loud and boisterous argument about it. Present company included.

He turned to face Argent who was making unabashed sounds of pleasure while consuming the caffeinated beverage. Derek smirked as he said, "So should I call Uncle Peter and tell him he may have a challenger for your attentions? Or do I need to call Stiles and tell him he may have to do some kind of exorcism?"

Chris responded with a tired smile as he said, "After last night Peter has no doubts of where my affections and every other part of me belong. As for Stiles he'll only have to worry when he tries to switch us to decaf like his dad."

Derek snorted and said, "I'll pass along the warning." Getting back to business, he asked a question that had been on his mind since the day before. "So what was in that silver tube, you were carrying last night?"

Chris poured himself another cup of coffee before heading over to the island where Derek was sitting. Setting the cup on the counter, he pulled the silver tube out of the pocket of his sweats. This close Derek could see that the tube resembled a creepy looking finger and the hunter proceeded to unscrew the finger, to reveal a small scrap of rolled paper inside.

"This is called the Shagunda* scroll. He said problem is it's in Japanese. Not well versed in the language." He said showing the Alpha the writing on the tiny scroll.

Derek smiled as he said, "I may know someone who can help and from what Scott has said, I think she owes several rather large favors."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Scott and the twins were in the woods, it was mid-afternoon and after their late night at the hospital the twins looked a little worse for wear, but they weren't complaining. Stiles had a conversation with the duo, a very compelling conversation.

Prior to the attack on Jackson and his subsequent hospitalization, the pair had come to Stiles, rather than Derek as they fet he would be the softer target, so to speak. They wanted to know what the Alpha Mate thought the chances were of the pari getting into the Pack as more than Omegas.

Stiles instead of being snaky or unking had looked at the pair seriously as he responded. "Derek recognizes Pack aaas a group that is more like a family. He recognizes the hierarchy Alpha, Beta, and Omega, but to him it's more than that."

"His former Pack was like a normal family, he has sisters they followed him to this Pack, his Uncle followed him to this Pack. He has cousins, and he has me. It's not your strength he's looking at when he sees you, it's who you are as people. Maybe you should figure that out for yourselves before you ask him what he sees in you." concluded the Alpha Mate.

That was art of the reason they had agreed to stay with Jackson when he had been attacked and needed his room guarded. That was also why they had joined the Beta in the woods. Scott had heard about the nightmare Stiles had, and thought he had recognized the location that the Spark had described.

He had spent a lot of time ine the woods after he had been turned testing his limits and working on his running and stamina to improve his lacrosse game. He had used the area Stiles had described for some of his practice. At least he thought it was the right place.

He had brought along the twins for backup because of their strength. Also because their senses were better than his. Although he blamed that on their being former Alphas, as well. He looked around the brightly lit forest and recognized several of the landmarks that Stiles had described from the nightmare. "This is the place," he said firmly. "Spread out and look around."

"And what is it we're supposed to be looking for exactly" Aiden asked in the annoyed tone he used.

"If what Stiles said, you'll know it when you see it or smell it. For now just holler if you see anything unusual." Scott replied evenly, ignoring the other werewolves attitude, for the time being. Afer all this guy had nothing on Jackson in his more unpleasant days.

The trio of teens moved around the forest, splitting up to go there separate ways but still kept each other within sight, werewolf sight at least. After several minutes they all heard Ethan call out, "I smell something, and I don't think any of us are going to like it."

The other two werewolves were at his side within minutes. Aiden made a face that was half transformed as they had all scented the smell of death and decay. A smell the younger Beta was becoming all to familiar with and the two Alpha's were very familiar with.

They followed their noses to the bodies, dozens of them. None of the bodies as far as they could tell were anyone they knew. As sTiles dream had shown though there were more than two dozen and all of them seemed to be supernatural.

"What the hell is Stiles that he could see this?" Aiden asked and there was awe and anger in his tone. The anger was not really directed at Stiles though, Scott knew this and it caused him to accept the twins a little more as part of this srange Pack of theirs."

It still fell to them to try to find out who these people were and what had happened to the meantime Scott did something he hadn't tried in a long time, he howled, He needed his Pack with him to figure this all out. It was only as he heard their answering calls that he realized he had called them his Pack. He had finally accepted them as his Pack, his family.

Soemthing inside him relaxed, released and despite the carnage of their surroundings, he smiled, and looked at the twins and said, "Go on howl, you're a part of us now."

The twins looked at each other and then back at Scott and when they did they saw something that seemed to shock them. They did howl though and they received answers as well.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Less than an hour later nearly the entire Pack was with the original trio. Some were looking a little green and poor Lydia bless her, had actually thrown up a few trees away. No one commented on it though because the truth was the carnage was affecting them all.

The Sheriff had been notified by his son, and Derek was carefully trying to check the bodies for possible identification purposes. There were several different methods of death, some he recognized as tried and true hunter favorites for death. Some he had never seen before.

It was as he was reaching the lower level of the pile, that he recognized a face. Then another, he honed in on the scent. There were other bodies that had the same scent, the scent of another Pack. His mother had befriended the Alpha of this Pack. A Japanese woman who had lived through the internment camps, she was a wise woman and a good Alpha. His mother had often said so, Derek pushed away from the group of bodies and slid his phone out of his pocket.

Since he had returned after becoming an Alpha, he had dialed this number only a few times. To be specific he could count on one hand with digits left over. The number was one he knew all too well.

"Hello Mother, we have a problem. A rather large problem and I need you to reach out to an old friend, who I hope is still living. Can you contact Satomi, we have found some people who I remember being in her Pack." Derek said in the most serious tone he had ever used with his mother.

"What do you mean you found them Derek?" his mother asked with trepidation, recognizing she wasn't going to like the answer he was about to give her.

"We found their bodies, mother. Worse yet they're not the only ones. There are more than a few others that I don't recognize. There is some…decay that may be causing problems with that. They all have the same scent of Pack that is barely discernible under the scent of decay. Could you contact her and ask her if she is missing members of her Pack, be discrete."

There was a significant pause and when his mother spoke ther was a catch in her voice as she asked, "Derek are you sure? It has been several years since we spent a great deal of time with Satomi's Pack. When she and the others went into recluse, our friendship cooled, I'm afraid. I will try and call her right away."

There was another pause and just as the Alpha was convinced his mother had hung up without a goodbye. Talia asked quietly, "Derek how many are there?"

"We're still counting, we're close to thirty. All of them seem to be supernaturals. I'll leave it to the Sheriff to figure out how to explain and how to identify them and notify their families. Satomi was family though, it would be better if she heard it from us, from you."

"Yes, you're right of course," his mother said, then she whispered, "Thank you for calling me, and letting me know dear."

"Of course, mom. I hope you can get hold of her." Derek replied gently. He wasn't surprised when Stiles was at his side when he clicked the off button on his cell phone. He pulled the Spark into his arms taking comfort from his mate.

*Shagunda Scroll-Ok I will freely admit here that I am not sure about the spelling on this scroll. I have seen no less than 6 different variations including one from another fan fiction. So I'm sorry but this is the best I could come up with at the moment. ~A


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N~ Not exactly the best I've done but I am rather proud of how it came together. Plus I'm sorry Rafe McCall bashing ahead as the man deserves it. Talia being a bad***. Rated T-for language more than anything. ~A**

**Chapter 55**

The Sheriff and Deputy Parrish are overseeing the autopsies of the bodies that Scott and the twins found in the woods. So far they are only about a third of the way through the carnage. It was a horrific task compounded by the act that there were young people, people Stiles age, mixed in with the other remains.

No really young children yet, at least that was a blessing. He wasn't sure if it was better or worse, that there seemed to be family groups. As though the family had been slaughtered and brought to that site for dumping. John had already called the FBI, certain that there is no way to cover up what has to be the biggest mass murder/body dump in history.

The single father called his son, more to reassure himself the teen was safe. It was very unprofessional and he did without a hint of shame. Their relationship had challenging since Claudia had died. The Sheriff was man enough to admit the guilt lay with him on that part. He had been the adult and he had fallen apart after she died. Stiles had taken up the slack. The fact that a nine year old had to become the adult in the household was pathetic, John knew.

He still had his bad days, particularly the anniversary of his wife's birth and death, their anniversary was also kind of bad. He would usually pull doubles or longer and work through it. He never went to the cemetery anymore, if he could avoid it. He didn't think he was going to avoid being there a lot this month, from the looks of things.

He explained to Stiles where Scott and the twins were and what had happened.

He didn't go into detail and when his son didn't ask for any, he had a nagging suspicion, something was going on. Like the supernatural fix was in, so to speak.

Considering the circumstances he wasn't too concerned at this point. Honestly he was pretty sure he was gonna loose his job over this one. He heard someone come through the doors of the autopsy exam and a sad but strident voice said, "You will stop this atrocity now!"

"Ma'am you can't be in here," Parrish said as he moved around the exam table.

"As the leader of my community I can be nowhere else." The woman said and while her face was calm there was no mistaking the anger in her voice as she said, "What you are doing is against our religion and as the community and spiritual leader you are hereby not given permission to continue to perform this procedure."

The woman had beautiful Asian features that made it difficult to determine her age. Her strength of character and determination were not so difficult to assess.

John started by being soothing as he replied, "Ma'am this is part of a homicide investigation,"

"A multiple homicide," said another masculine voice as the reviled and ridiculed Agent McCall walked in and up to Sheriff Stilinski ignoring everyone else in the room. "Which makes it my jurisdiction, so why did you start the autopsies without me?"

"As I believe I mentioned in my report, which obviously you didn't bother to read again, there were over thirty bodies out there and they're still searching for more remains. So why should we wait? Unless you plan to remove the remains to the FBI Crime Lab?"

"That will not be happening either!" The diminutive Asian said with her arms crossed over her chest. All pretense of calm and reserve gone by this point.

Still seeming to ignore the woman who had just spoken to him, Agent McCall had responded to the Sheriff. "The bodies were found on a Reserve, which means they fall under the Federal jurisdiction."

"That I believe would apply if they were animal carcasses, not human. Or is that all that you see them as you…" (What ensued next was obviously a long series of graphic cursing in the woman's native language. I will save your delicacies from the translation.) Speaking of the dead as if they are still the property of the slavers of this country."

"Here I thought you had worked beyond your foolishness, apparently not. However, our religious freedoms are still sacrosanct within this country or that is what I have been led to believe. If you go against the religious wishes of our community I will have no other recourse than to sue your community, state, and government." the woman said and there was no mistaking the venom in her voice.

"Not to mention considering the previous persecution of this community against certain members of Ms. Ito's race during World War II's internment camps the publicity nightmare should shut down any and all activity here." said a whiskey toned voice of an all too familiar timbre as Talia Hale walked into the morgue and set her briefcase down on the nearby counter with a snap.

"Mrs. Hale a pleasure to see you again," the Sheriff said in a perfectly friendly tone of voice.

Rafe McCall was looking decidedly red-faced at the obvious dressing down he had just received from the older woman. Especially since he didn't know exactly what he had just been called, but was certain it was derogatory to the extreme.

The medical examiner or coroner, the Agent hadn't bothered to check, was setting his instruments aside and said to the agent, "I'm sorry in good conscience I cannot continue with these proceedings."

"What?!" Rafe McCall said and John Stillinski was hard pressed as he saw the younger man's eyes nearly bulge out of his eye sockets. Which didn't really go well with the practically beet color of his face. "This is a multi-murder investigation. You have to complete the autopsies." He said almost hysterically.

"Actually according to this injunction, he doesn't and shouldn't." Talia said succinctly and then added in a calm and friendly tone. "You will, of course still conduct your investigation, just without these bodies."

He snatched the papers from the woman's hand and barely scanned it before saying, "I'll break it," with utter confidence.

"I suggest you speak with your superiors before making that statement. The bad publicity wasn't an idol threat," the power suited woman said with an enigmatic smile.

After several minutes of the agent reading the paperwork, while John could swear he saw seem steam coming out of the younger mans ear and definitely did see a vein begin t throb in the younger man's forehead. "So who found the bodies," McCall said as he looked at the Sheriff contemptuously.

"Local teens out scoping for a good campsite for their group. They're having a pow wow in a few weeks, obviously won't be using that sight, but led us straight back to it. Good kids, just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Yeah sure," Rafe sneered, "First on the scene, teenagers, how'd they say the found it? Lucky guess?"

The doctor who was still in the morgue looked at the agent like the man was an idiot. "I'm sorry. Thirty bodies all piled together no attempt at burial or concealment. No attempt to mask the odors or signs of decay or decomp. How do you think they found them… a séance?"

The doctor stepped up to stand in the agents personal space, "I know who you are McCall. I remember you from the last time you were here. You try and cause trouble again and I won't be the only one who reports your stupidity to your superiors. Now get out of my office." With that the older man crossed his arms and glared at the suited agent.

Rafe McCall wasn't easily intimidated. He blamed being over tired from the drive for the fact that even as he was watching the doctor seemed to have put in weight and muscle. The doctor seemed to have grown six inches and put on fifty pounds since Agent McCall had walked into the morgue. Rafe retreated.

The Sheriff followed the agent out of the room as the women made arrangements with the doctor for the proper disposal of the bodies. Once again the extremely overworked funeral homes of Beacon Hills would be taxed with the care of the remains. Once again the supernatural would be protected in their haven.

Meanwhile the agent who had been embarrassed decided to take it out on the local law enforcement. "So when you say teens I take it we're talking about your son? A Stilinski at the center of it all. Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Actually the trio that found the bodies were a pair of new teens just moved to the area and your son," the Sheriff said without rancor or accusation. "Scott was acting as guide for the other two, when they stumbled across the bodies."

The agents face was beginning to flush again as he said, "You didn't put them together again did you?"

"Actually since none of them had parent or guardian available at the time, yes I did. We are still a small department, we don't have an infinite number of interrogation rooms to use." John said and Rafe noticed the testiness now. He smirked.

He hadn't heard the phone ring but the Deputy, who's name he couldn't remember told the Sheriff the guardians and council were available for the trio. When McCall started to walk toward the exit of the hospital however, the Deputy called out. "I'm sorry sir you can't interrogate them."

"Excuse me," both the Sheriff and the Agent said.

"Oh not you sir, Sheriff, him." Parrish replied indicating Agent McCall. "According to the boy's council, you are related to one of them and have had run-in's with the guardians of the other two. They're claiming you will be biased and therefore are to be recused from the case."

"The hell I will," Rafe said as he continued to head to his car.

"Pretty sure that right there just proved the bias for them," Stilinski shouted after him.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The two men were a little annoyed when they had to wait for the lawyer. Parrish actually stood outside of the interrogation room, where the three teenagers had been seated, barring entrance until the teens barrister arrived. As an added precaution for the protection of the minors, the blinds had been pulled into place so they couldn't be seen by anyone outside of the room itself. Including the pair of very impatient lawmen.

It was only as they saw the same lawyer came down the hall toward them that things became more clear to them. Rafe McCall was ready to call the whole damn thing a conspiracy right there.

Talia Hale gave the two men a polite smile as she said, "Sorry for the wait gentlemen. Shall we begin?"

"Alright, I know this has got to be some kind of conflict of interest thing. You can't be both involved with the victims and the potential suspects." Rafe said brusquely as he entered behind the woman.

"You have no proof that any of these young men had anything at all to do with the crime other than finding the bodies. Last time I checked, finding bodies isn't a crime." Talia said her voice going low and soothing as she walked into the room with the three teens.

Scott who had met Alpha Talia Hale on several occasions, whether as the Alpha, the lawyer, or simply as the Hale's mom saw something a little odd and kind of interesting happen. The Alpha twins began to sit up straighter. Ethan folded his hands in his lap instead of fidgeting with his nails. Aiden worked to straighten out his slightly messy hair.

The Beta looked at his father and the Sheriff and saw that his father looked uncomfortable. He looked behind him to where the older Stilinski had his mouth partially covered with his hand and gave Scott a slow wink. Scott tilted his head slightly and then straightened his head again as he realized that the Alpha was manipulating his father.

Somewhere inside of his head he could almost hear Stiles evil laughter. He wondered what is best friend was up to because he saw the fine hand of his friend behind all of this. Stiles had once taken him to see this move. He had forgotten the name and it wasn't a comedy or involve explosions so he really hadn't gotten into it at the time. Stiles had loved it though.

The entire way home he had talked about nothing else except mind games, manipulation, conspiracies, and being a puppet master. Even all of these years later, Scott still didn't get the whole thing. Stiles had though. He wondered if Mrs. Hale had seen that movie?

Talia Hale allowed the Sheriff to question the boys. Their cover story was perfect, her son's mate was a brilliant strategist. The twins were a bit of a brutish air but very good actors and liars. McCall had maintained the cover brilliantly as well. The fact that he already had a natural animosity with his father, helped "sell it" as the Spark called it.

All of this did not change the fact that someone or some things had come into her territory and killed a rather large group that should have been safe under the protection of the Hale Pack. It was personally offending to her. Finally after arranging with the Sheriff to have a list of the victims sent to their office and to Satomi had been arranged.

Despite the blow hard agents demands, she declared the interview ended when the trio had repeated their story no less than three times without a flicker of lie or change in the reciting. Closest to the truth has always been best. She had wrapped her arm around the shoulders of young McCall after gathering the twins with a few words.

When the agent stood between her and the exit, the Alpha barely contained her thought of literally biting his head off. When he said in a not so diplomatic voice, "I'll be taking my son home."

"His mother has said otherwise," Talia said with an edge.

"Yeah well his mother's not here," and there was no mistaking the FBI agent had reached the end of his rope.

"So what you think, a few hours in an interrogation room suddenly makes you a parent. Hate to tell you, Mom has been here for the last ten years. I'm not going anywhere with you so you can question me some more." Scott said as he went to walk around the man.

When the agent went to grab his son's shoulder, Talia Hale had enough. With just enough wolf strength she took the man's wrist and put him to his knees. She was suddenly Mama Bear and bad ass lawyer all in one and Agent McCall was her target, "Agent McCall as an agent of the judicial system. I am hereby placing you under citizens arrest for the assault and attempted kidnapping of Scott McCall, against a direct parent/custodial agreement for previous and similar charges brought against you in a court of law ten years ago."

The agents mouth hung open in shock, even as he hung helplessly from her grip. Then it registered what she had said. His face went white as he said, "Those records were supposed to be sealed…" he whispered.

"I worked in the office where the agreement was struck. It never set well with me and the seal will be overturned when it's shown you have a tendency to be a repeat offender. Sheriff please take this man into custody until such time as I can consult with my adult client over this matter. Come along boys," Talia didn't even look back as she walked out of the room. Her arm was still wrapped around the slack jawed Scott while the twins were in open awe of the woman.

The Sheriff took great joy in slapping the cuffs on the Agent who had caused him so much trouble over the ears. It was petty but sometimes that was the way the the Sheriff of Beacon Hills rolled.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles was walking out behind the loft with Danny right beside him. The two were carrying trays with ice cold glasses and pitchers of water, lemonade and tea. Jackson was arranged rather gingerly on a lounger under the eave of the porch like structure. He had checked himself out AMA with the Sheriff's rather reluctant permission.

His parents when they were finally contacted had decided from the sound of things that all was well in hand. So they had no real need to return to Beacon Hills to watch over him. Jackson had very deliberately not listened in to the conversation the Sheriff had with his adoptive parents after he'd left the room.

The expressions the Pack members had on their faces were very animated though. Despite his best efforts for the rest of the afternoon to not hear what was said. He heard things like assholes, incompetent, distant, and the most telling from the Sheriff to Peter. "If you consider your children an inconvenience, you should leave off adopting and give them to someone who will care for them."

Although his parents still didn't return home he was moved into the Sheriff's house and currently residing in the guest room with a small wardrobe, his sporting goods which he still couldn't use, and several mementos he considered important.

Although Peter is not thrilled about the AMA, he can't really argue with the Alpha Pair's logic. Everyone would be safer if they were all together. The fact that they want to train to defend themselves against his daughter the doctor also wasn't thrilled with but its something they need to do. The others have been training for several hours but it's a total debacle. Some still don't trust the twins and others think it's a waste of time.

Stiles is watching the whole group of teens for several minutes before he finally looses his temper. He leans his head to the side and there is a crackle of tension as he opens his eyes and they are black again, as he gives a shove and they are suddenly all on their asses.

"Feel that. That's called getting your ass kicked. At this rate you should definitely get used to it. Cause at the rate it'll happen a lot before you die." he says coldly.

Angrily, he tells them, "You need to work together. Being werewolves doesn't mean you're immortal and doesn't mean you won't get your asses kicked. Do you think Allison got lucky with Jackson? Do you think all of those supernaturals we found in the woods all just decided to drop dead all at the same time?" He said sarcastically.

"We don't know that Allison did that Stiles," Peter said in a bitter tone.

"No we don't. Which means that there is probably something else out there killing supernaturals. So what you think that they're going to stop with werewolves, Banshees, kitsunes, Sparks or were coyotes? You think they'll leave Danny alone, you think they'll leave our parents or families alone. How about our friends?"

Sparks were flying in the air around the teen, "Wake up and see the reality, you dumbasses. We are supposed to be the protectors of Beacon Hills. How are we gonna do that if we can't even protect ourselves or our Pack and make no mistake we are a Pack." His voice became darker, deeper as he continued, "So learn to deal with your issues and work as a team or so help me… corporal punishment will become a thing in this Pack. Do you understand?"

Everyone was silent except for Jackson who snickered as he said, "Oh yeah, Alpha Mom is in the house."


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N~ A short chapter again, comparatively. Still hope you enjoy it. Please review, it helps the writing process. I've decided not to go into Season 4 any further in this story. I may go into it later but not now. I've already taken a lot longer in this story than I intended. That being said I hope you all are enjoying the story. Let me know. ~A**

**Chapter 56**

Melissa McCall sighed heavily as she made her way past the news vans. The vultures were once again camped out in the parking lot of the hospital. Despite many requests by hospital administrators to stay out of the emergency parking lot and so forth, the news crews just hung around like…okay it was repetitive but they were like vultures just looming around.

They were waiting for the next body to be identified, the next family members to come to claim the body of their loved one, and anytime the Sheriff or someone from his office came to the hospital it was more of the same. Melissa heard the half-hearted questions from a pair of reporters who recognized her as the chief of nurses.

The dark haired, dark eyes one named Asher Fehr, rushed to catch up to her. "So Mrs. McCall, anything new today?"

"Mr. Fehr, you always ask me this just as I'm coming on shift and I always give you the same answer." Melissa huffed in exasperation. "You probably know more than I do since I haven't even gotten my shift report yet. Also even if I did know anything more than you, I couldn't tell you due to the patients right to privacy per law." She recited the same thing she had told him every night since this had started, only this time he recited the last line right along with her.

"Did it ever occur to you Mrs. McCall that the reason that I bother you every night with the same questions is because I'm actually painfully shy and trying to work up the courage to ask you out?"

Melissa's head whipped around so fast, that she actually winced as her neck made a resounding crack. "Ow!" she hissed under her breath. The man gazed actually flinched sympathetically as the woman massaged the back of her neck gingerly and the head nurse replied, "Not funny, Mr. Fehr, not funny."

She continued towards the emergency room entrance, not hearing his quiet response of, "Not joking, Ms. McCall." Taking note of the various violations going on in the parking lot. The pain she was now experiencing in her neck and the pain in the neck the reporters had been were combined with her anger about the man flirting with her.

Once again they were blocking the parking spots for a lot of the emergency patients. They had set their klieg lights up in the emergency surgeon's parking spot. The reporters were breaking at least a half dozen of the hospitals rules. Mama McCall'd had enough.

Angrily she marched into the emergency room entrance and up to the nurses station. Strangely and gratefully she noticed that for a change the emergency room was empty at the moment. Taking the administrative key book from behind the station she checked the hospital regulations listed.

She took out a notepad and began to list the regulations that the reporters were violating. The administration was too afraid of generating bad press. Melissa was more concerned about the patients and their families than the vultures who were waiting for the next bit of carrion to come down the pipeline.

By the time she had been there for fifteen minutes they were starting to receive the stumblers. An unfortunate nickname given by some of the night shift to the drunk and stumbling crowd who usually did some injury to themselves in the process. Concussions, twisted or broken ankles, gashes, things of that nature, occasional alcohol poisoning, just in case of rowdiness the Sheriff would normally send over one of his deputies to keep order. Perfect timing.

As soon as Tara Haulk came in Melissa explained to the young woman, what she had in mind. The shorter, chunkier woman smiled at the nurse and was already calling in for some backup when she headed back out the door to start handing out tickets and having the vans removed from the parking lot.

Melissa now had a migraine and a whole shift yet to look forward to. She was glad for the relative routine of the emergency room, otherwise she would have some fear for her patients well-being from her own temper.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mr. Yukimura was tidying up his classroom after school. He knew the maintenance people usually took care of such things after the teachers left for the day but he still liked to neaten things up for himself before he left for the day.

Besides his wife was in full on tiger mom mode. After Kira had come home with an A in science, instead of an A+. Even he needed a little break from the intensity that was his wife at the moment. The fact that apparently she had been slapped down by the local Alpha pair also had been a loss of face that she was working to recover from.

The fact that the pair was a twenty something and a teenager in their daughters class at school had been even more embarrassing. The fact that the Nogitsune had returned his wife had been aware and instead of notifying the Alpha pair had been intent on killing it herself and by proxy one of the local Pack members, yeah not one of his wife's best moments. He was still working to forgive her for not warning their own daughter.

Ken turned back to his desk to get the test papers he needed to grade this evening when he realized he wasn't alone anymore. The pretty student at his desk wasn't someone he was familiar with right off hand, not someone from one of his classes but he knew she was a student she had seen her around school before.

"I don't think students are supposed to be in school this late young lady," he said in teacher tone 2. Gentle scolding. "Did you need something?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you could help me Mr. Yukimura?" the tone was friendly enough. He noticed the warmth in the tone didn't match the coldness in the gaze though.

"If it's a problem with your history, I'd be happy to help. We do have a list of tutors. It is a little too late today though as I was just about to head out." He said as he began sliding the tests into his briefcase. "Third period is my free period for tomorrow if you'd like to come back then, we can discuss it at that time," he suggested.

"I would like to discuss history yes but not just mine, yours. Or more accurately your wives and mine." the brunette said. Ken looked up sharply just as Allison grabbed him by the arm and slammed him onto the top of his desk. A bug suddenly flew up his nose.

"At the moment though I want to know where the kitsune's tails are?" Allison asked with a cold smile "and then I think we'll discuss your family shall we. Especially that lovely daughter of yours."

**Several minutes later **Allison is on her way out of Ken Yukimura's classroom carrying a book. She is actually tucking the book into her backpack as she nears the entrance to the school when Kira comes in the entrance and catches sight of her.

She smiles at the other student and continues toward the entrance of the school without breaking stride. Only to have Kira drop her back pack and pull out her belt which transformed into a solid sword.

"Impressive," said the Nogitsune, "but you're not the only one who can carry a concealed weapon onto school grounds." She growled as she pulled her repeating crossbow out of her own backpack and started firing. Kira ducked and tried to get out of the way of the flying bolts. Sparks flew as they ricocheted off the door, trash can, and lockers in the hallway.

Allison opens the door to the school and calls back, "You have a choice little kitsune, follow me, or see what it is I've done to your beloved father." Before she efficiently retracts the bow wings and shoves it back into her backpack.

Kira comes out of hiding and runs down the hallway to her father's classroom. Where she finds the older man kneeling on the floor of the classroom, disoriented. "Dad?" she cried in horror.

**XXXXXXXXX**

"There's got to be an easier way to do this." Chris Argent said with exasperation as they looked through yet another book to help interpret the writing on the Shugendo scroll.

Lydia upended another backpack full of books onto Deaton's exam table. With a toss of her hair said waspishly, "If you have a better idea I'd love to hear it." Pulling a promising looking volume from the pile she added, "Let me guess the women did all the research and that's why they were the leaders?"

Then she remembered that the only female left in the Argent clan was the currently possessed Allison. At least the only one who wasn't currently in jail. She curbed her sharp tongue as she also remembered that Allison, the real Allison was her best friend.

She skimmed through the book she was holding and saw something familiar in one of the pages and pulled a notepad and pencil closer to her. She began searching in earnest and writing on the pad, tapping the pencil erratically as she flipped through the pages.

"Lydia," said Chris seriously. The strawberry blond merely hummed as she continued to skim through the pages. Then she found another symbol and added it to her interpretation of the scroll.

"Lydia why are you doing that?" Deaton asked.

"Doing what?" the young genius asked with distracted exasperation.

A hand wrapped around her wrist gently but her fingers continued tapping the pencil in a certain pattern. Lydia consciously tried to stop her fingers from tapping and she freaked out a little when it didn't stop at first. "What the hell?" she asked.

"You're tapping out SOS in Morse code," Chris Argent answered as her fingers finally stopped tapping in Deaton's gentle hold.

"Great, I didn't even know I knew Morse code and I sure as hell wasn't doing it on purpose." Lydia said as she pulled her hand free of Deaton's hold easily and stared at her fingers as if the appendages had personally offended her.

The two men stared at each other as the strawberry blond went back to what she had been doing before they had interrupted her. When she had finished she went back through the book to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Then she huffed in frustration as she saw there really wasn't much to what was on the scrap of paper that was the scroll. "Basically it says the only way to expel the Nogitsune is to change the host. Change her how?"

"Pretty sure it means we have to change her into a werewolf," Scott said as he came in through the back of the clinic.

"Over my dead body," Chris said with a snarl.

"Yeah but it's not you we're talking about is it? It's your daughter, so we have a choice, yes." Scott said and he transformed into a werewolf just to prove his point. "Either we get to watch her die as the Nogitsune. After which he'll probably just go on to his next host. Or we expel the damned thing, we may not be able to kill it but Stiles says he can imprison it. That's good enough for me."

"You're putting a lot of faith in a Spark, that hasn't really been tested." Chris Argent said hostilely.

Deaton gasped however and then said in a strangled voice, "Mr. Stilinski has been tested and has always risen to the occasion, I see no reason to doubt him now."

"Now if you don't mind it is rather late and some of us have early surgery tomorrow." With that he began to gather the books and materials that they had been using. Lydia and Chris began to help but the vet shooed them away with the suggestion that Scott could help him.

When he was sure that the other pair were gone, Deaton explained to the young werewolf that he had seen the younger man's eyes flash red for just a split second. "What does that mean?"

"There are rare occasions when a werewolf will change to an Alpha without taking or inheriting the power. They're called True Alphas and they change through strength of will." Deaton explained with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Doc, I never wanted to be a werewolf let alone an Alpha," said the teenager as he stared into the emissary's eyes thoughtfully.

"Then I would say you need to learn to accept being a werewolf first, Mr. McCall. Because as far as I know there is no way to change yourself back to a human." Alan said as he put the last of the books away in the backpack and put it into one of the nearby lockers. He took his young assistant by the shoulder and guided him out of the clinic.


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N~ Sorry about the delay with this chapter. It is a bit on the long side. Plus where most of my chapters were three acts, this one has four. So hope you are enjoying how this is going and would love to hear some positive reviews, flames will be ignored and consigned to the great Apollo. Who is of course is the only God of Literature that I know of, and was tolerant of all forms of writing including slash. Of course back then they undoubtedly called it something else. Speaking of slash, next chapter, Chris and Peter make up. Oh boy, uh, I mean men. ~A**

**Chapter 57**

"Ok so basically we need to figure out how to catch Ally and try to bite her to change her back to her gooey sweet self," Erica said easily her eyes shifting between certain members of the Pack. Namely Scott and Chris who were having a bit of a stare down.

What neither one seemed to notice is the conflict in the eyes of Peter and Malia and it was making the young she wolf sick literally to see the pain in the duos eyes. Chris was basically not seeing how his old prejudices were affecting his mate and his other daughter.

"And I'll say it again, over my dead body," Chris said vehemently. Basically getting in the face of the young Beta.

"Yeah and the only reason you're saying that is because you're still caught up in the hunter way of thinking. Like your predecessors who killed themselves rather than potentially become a werewolf." Scott said sharply.

"Allison would not want to become a werewolf…." Chris began in a hostile tone.

"Yes she would," Malia said quietly and actually flinched when her father whipped his head around to stare at her incredulously as she continued, "We talked about it one night. She said she would rather become a werewolf or maybe a were-coyote if it came to that rather than leave us. She said she had lost enough time with us. She didn't want to loose anymore than she already had."

"Be careful what you say next Argent, and remember you are among _family_ here," Erica scolded sotto voice. If there was any doubt, who she was talking about when she emphasized the word family. She stood and put her arm around Malia and indicated Peter with her chin, who was staring at his mate painfully.

The expression on Argent's face went blank for a split second and everyone in the Pack knew at that moment, the hunter had actually forgotten his mate and his other daughter while continuing this conversation from earlier at the vet's office. It actually managed to pull them back from being openly hostile to the older man but didn't improve their opinion of him at all.

Cora was even actively growling at him. As she came up behind her uncle to take his hand. Only Peter looked a little too casually at his watch and said too easily, "Would you look at the time. I have rounds to make." He turned and walked over to his daughter and whispered something in her ear that only the other werewolves in the room could hear. The teen merely nodded as her father kissed her temple gently. Her eyes glowed blue momentarily.

"Pete," the silver haired man said huskily. The doctor froze for a minute in his tracks but when Argent didn't say anything else, the werewolf picked up his jacket and keys from beside the door to the loft before slinging the door open and leaving without bothering to close it.

When Chris looked back Malia had Cora's arms around her shoulders and Aiden was standing behind her. "When," he asked, the entire Pack except for Stiles were staring at the older man with open hostility as he asked his daughter, "when did she tell you this Malia."

The teen flinched away from the harshness in his tone, then she looked back at Aiden and her shoulders squared and her face went hard as she replied, "In the winter, I don't know when exactly I still work more by seasons and the phases of the moon than by months and days."

Then she looked at him and her words and expression actually made him rear back as she asked without hostility or real caring for a response. "Does it matter? You wouldn't have listened to what she wanted. Cause it's not what you wanted for her, is it?"

With that the were-coyote grabbed Cora by one arm and Aiden by the other and exited the loft in the same direction by Peter. They were soon followed by Jackson, Ethan and Danny, then the rest of the Pack except for the Alpha Pair. Derek patted his mate on the shoulder and followed after their Pack mates. Leaving his mate to take care of the situation.

Stiles looked after his mate a little ruefully. He turned to Chris and didn't wait for the human hunter to start the conversation before he said tactlessly, "Well, I think we know their feelings on the subject and you made your thoughts very clear. Too bad you didn't have any situational awareness this time about who else was in the room when you spouted off Gerard's rhetoric."

"What do any of you know about it?" Chris asked irritably.

"Allison and Malia know how they didn't know one of their parents or one of their sisters because of his prejudice. Allison's own mom tried to kill her because of that prejudice. Your sister tried to destroy an entire family including a lot of kids because of that prejudice." Stiles voice rose and deepened as he continued, "Do you want me to tell you about the nightmares that Cora still has after all these years. Or the scars that Derek's cousin has on his neck from where your sister practically garroted him to keep the rest of the Pack from escaping?"

"Your father was the supreme bastard of our area and time," Stiles said and stared at the hunter intently.

"What's your point?" Chris said edgily.

"My point is take the advice of a teenager. Stop acting like the old bastard and act like yourself before you loose the only good things to come out of this whole twisted business." the Spark said before following the rest of the Pack out of the Loft.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The two Betas stared at their Alpha doubtfully as they arrived at the outskirts of the small town of Beacon Hills. Lane Cassidy didn't even have to look up to know what his two best friends thoughts were on the subject of what they were about to attempt.

"You feel that don't you?" Lane asked. Holding a hand out to an area right in front of the Welcome sign that stood at the border of the small town. The Betas stepped closer to the sign and then stopped as they came up against a slight resistance.

They were older, fighters and were familiar with the feel of magic. They were especially familiar with the feel of Mary's magic. Her magic was different from many other magic-users. The sensation was smoother, whether that was because they were Pack members or because Mary was such an old and practiced witch they weren't sure.

The trio actually stood close to the barrier just for the familiar sensation of her magic. It was like immersing themselves in a warm bath and they were reluctant to leave the wonderful feeling. After a few minutes though J.J. looked at his Alpha and said, "Ok so we know that she's here," he said indicating the barrier and added, "obviously. What makes you think she's going to want to see any of us, especially you Alpha?" He didn't even flinch when his Alpha's eyes flashed red, instead he crossed his arms over his muscular chest and scowled at his Alpha.

The bitch face crumbled and Lane responded, "Okay, we all know she shouldn't and probably won't, but I have to try. Our Pack needs her, she's our heart." Then he looked at the Betas and his face fell even further as he confessed morosely, "Ok she has my heart and I have to get her back."

"Let us see if we can get past the barrier before we make any plans about what we need to happen when we see Mary," Rhys suggested helpfully.

He went through the barrier first. Of the three of them Rhys was the one who Mary had called the cucumber, calm and cool under pressure. So when he made it through the barrier and he jumped and gave a fist pump in the air, the other stared at him for a minute.

JJ the hot head snorted at him and shook his head in bemusement, before following the older Beta through the barrier. When he made it through the barrier he turned to face their Alpha. His arms were outstretched as he turned back to his Alpha and gave a bow to the older man.

Lane raised his hand and ran his fingers across the barrier thoughtfully, watching the colors wave through the air with his werewolf vision before stepping through to join his Pack members on the other side. He studied is own outstretched arms as he felt the sensation of the hair standing on end across his body continue to run over his skin.

He waited for the sensation to run its course before he spoke to his Betas. When the electrical charge from the barrier had finally dissipated he gathered the Betas and said, "Let's go find our Pack mom and see what I can do to get her back." Lane said voice a little eager.

Rhys was sniffing the air though and said cautiously, "I think before we do that we better find the local Alpha and explain what we're doing in their territory." He took an even deeper inhale though and said, "Just one problem or two," he said as his brow furrowed in confusion, "There seems to be more than one Alpha in this territory."

Seeing his Alpha start to say something Rhys said snippily, "And no I'm not talking about you Alpha."

Curiously Lane also sniffed the air and the Alpha was stunned to say the least to smell at least three other Alpha's in the area. He thought their were actually more but he was still recovering from the shock of their being three Alphas in one territory let alone more. He hadn't heard of any pow wows or Alpha Packs being in this area recently.

"Curiouser and curiouser," said the Alpha thoughtfully as they followed the scent of the oldest Alpha in the area, first.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Chris stared after his departing younger daughter. In that split second he realizes that not only has his husband left without a proper explanation from Chris. but that his daughter had also left and is probably convinced that her father was against her and right now he wasn't exactly sure himself.

"You're the one who told me that you could kill the Nogitsune, because you see the possessed person for what it is now not who it used to be." Derek said coolly. "Because it was all compartmentalized in your head." Derek was serious at he stared at the man who was the mate to his uncle.

The werewolf who had changed his life to be with the man standing in front of him, to be a father to their two daughters. Derek was controlling his own wolf just barely as this version of Chris was reminding the Alpha way too much of Kate right now.

The only thing that was keeping him from potentially wolfing out as Scott called it was the nearness of his mate.

Stiles was staring at Chris darkly and Derek thought the Spark might not object as strenuously as he once would have if the werewolf did attack the current leader of the Argent clan. Then Stiles spoke and there was something in his voice that had both of the older men stand a little straighter and seemed to cause Chris to pull up short and look more shamed than he already had been at his behavior.

"I would guess that keeping everything compartmented doesn't include your daughter Allison. Nor does it include the rest of your family. Or I would have said that before you just pretty much alienated them and the rest of your Pack all in one giant shit storm of stupidity. Congratulations by the way, the Pack rarely agrees on anything, especially Jackson and Scott."

The teen reminded with a rather exuberant waving of his hands in the air as he continued, "That… what you just did right there. Yeah pretty sure they will all agree that was the stupidest, most moronic thing you could have done. So much so in fact, that I know when they meet up with the rest of the Pack, and they will." He said raising a finger to stop the protest he saw coming from the hunter, "The two Betas will actually agree that you need to be monitored…instead of looking out for Allison. They'll all agree that you need to be watched closer than her." With that said he moved.

He stepped into the personal space of the hunter and the older man watched as the Alpha Mate's eyes bled to black with flames around the edges. "If for any reason my Pack or my Mate are injured in any way because of this shift in their attention. In this distraction that you've caused dredging up your old prejudices." he said and Chris noticed a hiss had entered his voice as he said, "I will be the one to hunt you down."

"Not them, not Peter, not Derek, me. They are not ones to compartmentalize as you put it, neither will the Pack. It's not the way they are made. It's something I've learned to do with the ADHD, not so much with the emotions either. But compartmenting the hunter you and the Chris you who is father and husband to some of our Pack members…that I can do."

Tell me what are the three things you should never do around the Alpha Mate Mr. Argent?" Stiles asked and his eyes still had not shifted back to normal and he stayed right in the hunters personal space as he continued their conversation.

"Never get between a mother and her cubs," Chris began.

Stiles raised his finger and wagged it back and forth as he corrected, "That's a regular mother. Alpha moms are basically in charge of all of the cubs in the Pack, which since everyone in the Pack except for the elders, Laura, Peter, you, and Derek are under twenty-one, I am responsible for all of the cubs. Including Allison and Malia, which means right at this moment right here. You're already on my shit list. "

He tuned back in as Stiles said, "Your daughter is my friend, I'm not going to kill her or have her killed if there is a way to exorcise this spirit, demon or whatever the Nogitsune is from her. And if turning her into a werewolf is the only way to get her back, your not going to touch her. Second rule?"

"Never get between mates, especially an Alpha Mate bond," Chris droned. As a hunter these rules or rather suggestions were drilled into him by the trainers for Hunters he had been instructed by from a very young age. Of course then Gerard had given him his own version of the rules which were that there were no rules in regards to werewolves, except to kill them all.

For a long time Chris liked to think that he was toeing the line between the two sets of rules. He knew better now, or that was what he had told himself since his own wife and father had tried to kill his daughter. Then she taught him a new way of seeing things.

He tuned back in to hear Stiles say, "So far you haven't messed with my bond with Derek," he patted the older Argent on the cheek as he added, "you lucky bastard." With a smile that Chris swore showed more teeth than any human should have in their mouth and had more sharpened edges than should be possible, the Alpha Mate smiled benignly at the hunter.

At least he thought it was supposed to be benign but the eyes were flitting between being Stiles regular amber gaze to the oily blackness that caused the hunter's heart and stomach both to flutter in a very real and visceral fear. "Your own mate bond however that I would hazard to say you have damaged and that won't be tolerated. Third rule?"

That was the one that Chris had always questioned, "Never mess with the Pack bond." The trio could all hear his doubtfulness as he said the words. The Alpha's eyebrows had risen questioningly, the Spark merely nodded as the hunter quoted the third rule.

Derek said questioningly, "You have a problem with the third rule?"

"Yes, I do. What exactly is a Pack bond?" Argent asked the Alpha pair.

Stiles merely nodded and replied, "It's not unusual for the human members of a Pack to be unaffected or unaware of the Pack bonds or at least at first. Usually though the longer they are a member of a Pack they gradually become aware of the bonds. Let's start with family first, they are usually the first bonds you make, naturally."

He begins to walk around the hunter and says, "Let's see, first close your eyes," When Chris complied the Spark continued, "Now think about Peter his face, his scent, how it feels to hold his hand, how it feels when you first see him after a long day. Now think about where he is right now and what he's doing. Now tell me."

Chris knew where he should be, doing rounds at the hospital, and started to tell Stiles that. Instead he saw his mate in his seldom used office, the man was talking with Melissa McCall about something, he didn't know what. It was like watching someone on a security camera without audio. It was even in black and white except for one thing. He saw what appeared to be a braided rope of light attached to his mate, just where the abdomen and chest met mid-torso. He told the Spark what he was seeing and then opened his eyes to see the pair smiling at him knowingly. "What?" he demanded.

Stiles merely shrugged and said, "Let's do Malia now. Close your eyes again Chris and try to find Malia. When he closed his eyes again he noticed there was an after image almost still playing and he noticed that Melissa also had one of the ropes attached to her body this one was the lavender, the same color as her favorite pair of scrubs.

Then he started to repeat the process he had used to find his mate, and applied it to finding his daughter Malia. There was the group all gathered around a small creek within the Preserve. His daughter had a silver rope attached to her in earthy tones of brown. He noticed the strands of the rope looked a little frayed here and there. He realized he had seen the same signs of damage on the rope attached to Peter.

Then he noticed the other teens ropes. Scotts was a warm, gold with a hint of deep red. What surprised Chris was how thin and frayed it looked. Erica and Boyd's rope were more solid but even thinner than Scotts. Erica's was a red-orange, while Boyd's was at first look almost gray, then Chris realized that it was mostly white with strands of black woven through it.

The twins also had very thin ropes, nearly the size of a thick piece of yarn. So were all of the other teens of the pack. While Chris was thinking of Malia and the other members of the Pack, his thoughts went to Allison. There was a very disorienting shift and suddenly he was looking at her.

Allison was standing in a metal walled room, working on something on a scarred wooden work table. Dust motes floated in the weak light that came in through the dirty windows on two sides of the building. There were no vehicles moving on the bit of road that could be seen from the windows.

He couldn't really see where she was though because other than the sides of other metal buildings. There were no other indications in the image of where she might be. The rope, that he had finally realized were the bonds between him and the other Pack members, was silver, a brilliant blue, and an odd black wispy sheath around it. The rope was solid and not frayed under that black sheath, oddly enough, the sheath only went out along that rope about eighteen inches.

He felt a hand on his arm and was suddenly back in the room with the Alpha Pair. Stiles hand was wrapped around his wrist and the Spark had a concerned expression on his face. His eyes were back to being the whiskey gold eyes. "You saw her. You saw Allison."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Asher Fehr made his way through the hospital, he didn't have his cameraman with him. The cameraman was in the parking lot or more accurately on the right of way around the lot. After paying to get the vehicle released from impound, the station had demanded Fehr parked anywhere but the hospital parking lot. The vehicle was parked about a block and a half away.

His cameraman had whined the whole walk from the van to the hospital. Even though Asher had actually carried more than half of the equipment. The man was still complaining when Fehr had decided to come inside. He was surprised that security didn't stop him at the door.

He went around to the emergency room and was actually surprised not to see Ms. McCall at the nurses station. He also didn't hear her voice among the curtained off cubicles. He knew her shift was about to end and he wanted to be here when she got off work. He went to stand by the entrance to the waiting room.

When she finally appeared it was obvious that she was distracted. The usually highly observant nurse, didn't even notice him. He stepped forward and said cautiously, "Ms. McCall?"

Despite the care he had used the nurse started dramatically, and nearly screamed and then shouted at him, "Mr. Fehr, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Her shouting at him made him react in kind, "No, I'm trying to ask you out." he shouted back. They stared at each other in a befuddled way for a few seconds and then noticed the surprising lack of noise around them.

The pair looked around sheepishly and saw everyone in the emergency room staring at them. Including the people in the waiting room who were peaking through the blinds and the patients in the cubicles who were looking around the curtains at the pair. Melissa looked at Fehr incredulously and near whispered, "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously," he mock whispered, with some amusement seeping into his voice.

The head nurse drew her head back in surprise and stared at him for a few minutes before a slow and small smile spread across her face. "Are you telling me you were serious the other day?"

"Deadly serious," he said with only a hint of a smile, "I'm usually incredibly shy when not faced with a camera. You have no idea how long it took me just to work up the courage to talk to you. Let alone ask you out."

"How can you do interviews, be a reporter, like that?" Melissa asked with honest curiosity.

"I would love to have that conversation with you, maybe over dinner?" Asher asked seriously. Reminding the woman that she hadn't actually answered him about the date.

"I'm off tomorrow evening," she said as she took the pen out of her pocket and took his hand to write down her phone number on his palm. "Call me after ten in the morning." She said and both of them blushed as there was applause around the emergency room from both the patients and staff.


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N~ Ok folks I usually like to skirt around this stuff but this is a bit of another matter. I have seen where people have put rather graphic sex scenes on this site under a T-rating. When I would consider it more of NC-17. I'm sorry they don't have that rating on this site. A bit of an oversight on their part. Anyway the scene that was to come at the end of this chapter was a little too graphic for most teens. I am therefore going to be putting that scene under its own heading in the M section of this site. I will be putting the name of the scene at the end of this chapter. You will have to go there to see it. It is graphic, it is slash meaning same sex couple and you should not read it if you are under 17 or such material offends you. You have been warned. ~A**

**Chapter 58**

Asher Fehr was parked near the McCall home 15 minutes before he was due to arrive. He had been admiring Melissa McCall ever since he had received this assignment. He felt privileged even to say he knew her even in the currently limited capacity that he did.

Besides being a gorgeous woman, which let's face it, she was in spades. She was also highly intelligent. He had seen her in action; the intelligence, strength and compassion in the woman was without compare. At least in his humble opinion, not to mention being a single mother to a young man who was not only co-captain of the lacrosse team, but also a key figure in solving several of the local crimes.

Scott her son was a handsome young man and very protective of his mother. A fact Asher could et behind having been a single mother's son as well at one time. He had made the connection between mother and son and the blowhard who was Agent Rafe McCall.

The title of blowhard had come from his cameraman Timothy, he preferred Timothy, not Tim or Timmy. The younger man was a strange dichotomy a techno geek who liked using older slang to describe the things around him. Asher checked his watch and pulled up to sit in front of the mailbox of the McCall House.

He checked his appearance and then more surreptitiously his breath, before getting out of the sedan and heading for the door of the house. He knocked on the door firmly and was a little surprised when it was Scott who answered the door. With an irritated look on his face, which he tried to mask, Scott signaled for the older man to come in.

As soon as Asher stepped through the door he realized Scott's annoyed expression wasn't actually for him but for the man on the other end of the cell phone that Melissa was currently speaking into. "I am a single woman who is fully capable of making my own decisions. None of which concern you Agent McCall. Don't call me again unless it has to do with visiting your son, you remember him right?"

With those words she clicked the end call button so firmly he could almost hear the cell phone crack slightly under the pressure. He pulled the plants from behind his back and said, "I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of thinking you might prefer something alive rather than cut flowers." he said as he presented them to her.

From the expression of delight in her eyes, Asher figured he had guessed right and watched as she handed the succulents off to her son who rather reluctantly took them into the kitchen. The reluctance gave Asher an idea and he checked his watch surreptitiously and felt they had enough time. His next statement was more spur of the moment than anything, but he felt it was the right decision.

"I have to say you look gorgeous," he told Melissa in an honest and rather spellbound way. "I made us reservations at the Pines, Scott," he said hopefully, looking over at the teen. "No offense, but if you're going with us you might want to dress up a little more."

At their twin gape mouthed expressions but her warming eyes he knew he was making the right decision, he added, "I'm sorry I got the impression you were kind of a package deal. Since this is a kind of getting to know you thing, I thought it would be appropriate for the three of us to go out together. If you have other plans I understand but I would really love to get to know both of you."

Scott looked stunned and then over at his mother questioningly, when she just shrugged with a small smile. The teen looked back at the swarthy man who was simply smiling at the younger as he added, "Sorry I know younger guys prefer the laid back look but the Pines from what my producer says is a kind of a suit and tie place but we have time if you want to change?"

"Uhm, sure just give me a few," Scott said with a crooked grin before heading up the stairs to get changed at a full run, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Sorry," Asher turned to Melissa and said, "I should have called ahead and said something," he began.

"No, no," she eased, "We just weren't expecting… I haven't dated much since I got divorced and I wasn't really expecting to…" She hesitated before lowering her voice, "Most men don't include him or try to befriend him, but just to get to me. They don't really act like we're a family, the two of us."

Asher nodded and explained, "My mother, she was single when she raised me. My father died when I was still very young. I know how hard it is for both of you. I want to make this," he said indicating with a hand gesture the space between them, "whatever it is, as comfortable for all of us, as I can."

His phone chirped as Melissa answered, "That's very thoughtful of you, thank you."

"I'm sorry," he said pulling his phone out as he added, "I should have turned this off." Seeing the name on the caller I.D. he frowned and said in an a slightly exasperated tone, "My producer, I need to take this call." He stepped outside and said, "What is it Steve?"

Finding that the lecher was more interested in his dating habits than anything to do with business, he got off the phone quickly and then called to push the reservation back fifteen minutes and confirmed that they did indeed need the third chair that he had requested previously. That done, he stepped back into the house and made sure to turn off the ringer on his phone.

"Done, and done." he said, "I don't really know how fast Scott is about getting dressed but I pushed the reservation back a few minutes, just in case." He smiled at his date and stepped into the room and began the usual get to know you conversation with a generous peppering of questions about Scott as well.

When the teen made it back down the stairs, Asher smiled at the handsome young man, and questioned, "So while I'm going to have to defend my date from the men who are jealous I'm so lucky. She's going to be fending off the young ladies, from the debonair young squire?"

Scott blushed and Melissa tittered as they headed for the door. Seeing the bat near the front door. Asher grabbed it up and made to hand it to her as he continued, "Hopefully we'll be able to clear the field before our food arrives, what do you think? I'm starving what about you?"

Scott took the bat back from him with a shake of his head, "I think between the three of us, we should be able to handle it." The trio headed to the car with Asher and Scott were discussing lacrosse. While Melissa stared at the two men with an indulgent smile.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The trio of Lane, J.J. and Rhys are able to get past the outer wards of Beacon Hills without too much difficulty. Which stuns them until Rhys figures out that the wards must have been set to keep out those who mean to do harm.

Since the trio are only there to try and find their former Pack mate and ask her to come back and re-join the Pack, the barrier discerns them as not meaning harm to the occupants of the community. The creation of the barrier shows the hand of Mary, but surely she couldn't have accomplished such an undertaking without help. True the community of Beacon Hills was kind of on the smaller side as towns go, but still the border was several miles in rough diameter.

They managed to find there way to one of the higher points in the areas to help get a better look at the surrounding territory. Lane and the others used their wolf vision he could see the border as defined by the magical perimeter.

Some of it was defined by natural landmarks. A creek bed here, a gully there, others were actually borderlines set by survey lines as defined by straight lines and sharp angles. There were signs of someone else in the working of the magic, a different color, a different feel to the weaving of the wards.

At the moment though Lane was more concerned with finding his mate, his wife. A little voice in the back of his head said that he no longer had the right to continue to call her that but he ignored it, at least for the time being.

He allowed his wolf to slip the leash, just a bit. His beta form came to the fore as he scented the air deeply. Seeking that indefinable scent that was Mary. Green plants, ozone and baking bread, when he caught a whiff of something vaguely familiar, the Alpha took off with the other two following close behind.

He made sure to return to his human appearance before they ran through the middle of town. For all the world as if they were a trio of joggers out for a mid-morning run through town. Except of course for the facts that one of the joggers was wearing a business suit, just without the tie. One had dreadlocks down to mid-back, and the third was wearing a leather trench coat.

Lane probably would have laughed at the joke imbedded in the thought if he hadn't been so intent on tracking the elusive scent. The fact that the trio of joggers were running faster than any of the famous high school lacrosse team did leave a few tongues wagging though.

They came to the high school and just beyond that a wooded area. They found they couldn't cross over into the woodlands beyond the school though. They tracked around the barrier following the perimeter of it until they found a deeply rutted access road and a sign.

The sign read, Beacon Hills Preserve. No hunting, No trespassing. Almost indistinguishable in the corner of the sign, two symbols were scratched. One was a triskele, curved and flowing the other looked more like a bull's-eye, a circle within a circle.

Rhys walked up the road but once again was stopped by a barrier. Lane and J.J. watched as he kicked a pile of limbs, dirt and so forth that had been bulldozed up around the area. He finally found what he had been looking for a branch with pine needles still attached to its branches.

Carefully he used the branch to move some of the soil aside on the road to reveal a line of bricks across the road. The bricks were old fashioned clay bricks, not concrete, but actual clay. Although the color was an almost butterscotch, it was obvious from the irregularities of the bricks, that they were handmade.

"Ok so how do we get around this one?" J.J. asked with exasperation.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Although it's not the most practical of things to be doing under the circumstances, the Pack is planning another Pack meeting/training/bonding session. Currently though they were at school and half of the Pack were in the library. It was just after the new semester had begun. Despite all of their parents advising the school that they were okay with the group being on the same schedule.

The school counselors had disagreed saying they found the relationship of the group to be an unhealthy one. Despite the fact that all of the kids throughout the school year had shown marked improvement in their grades and attention levels particularly in classes where two or more of them were taking part.

The school board for its part told the parents that the school chose which classes the students were in not the students or their families. The fact that the students still for the most part managed to get at least two of them in each and every class they wanted. Sometimes not at the same time but the kids still managed to get together to compare notes. Usually if there was an important concept that one of them missed the other would get it.

The absence of Allison Argent in school had already been explained away by Chris and Peter when they had first realized what was going on with Allison. Since the Nogitsune didn't really want to interact with regular humans who possibly might recognize subtle changes in the behavior of the girl they knew and the currently possessed version. Allison was currently quarantined at home, suffering from mononucleosis.

The fact that there had been several who had made snide comments at the beginning of her supposed quarantine, had been curtailed harshly by the rest of the Pack. When confronted by the Sheriff, Derek, Scott, and the twins merely shrugged about why the complainants' looked a bit roughed up.

Stiles didn't exactly sooth his father when he explained patiently, "There was no death, dad. There was blood, and maybe a little maiming, but no death." The older man goggled at his son in amazement. Speechless as his face began to change to the color of a beet.

The Pack had managed to escape the confrontation before the Sheriff regained the ability to speak or in a more likely possibility, yelling, screaming and shouting.

Chris found the group in the back of the library. Stiles, Scott, Issac, Erica, Boyd and new addition Kira were sitting there at the table. Nearby a pair of the newest lacrosse team members Mason and Liam were sitting although their only purpose seemed to be studying the Pack members rather than their algebra.

Chris was aware of the pair but ignored them as he approached the older teens. It was Issac who first noticed the hunter. The eyes that froze the older man in place were golden but there wasn't the audible growl he was expecting. Of course the red that glowed in Scott's gaze, and the orange in Kira's gaze he wasn't expecting either.

When Stiles looked up from his homework to see every pair of eyes looking at Chris and all of them were glowing. He stood up with a huff and a quiet, "Knock it off guys, you'll freak out the newbie's." He said before rising and heading over to the hunter with an aggravated expression.

"What can I do for you Mr. Argent?" he said in a perfectly neutral tone. He actually flinched when he heard the calm in Stiles voice rather than the usual spastic greeting he expected from the Spark. It gave him pause and the teen continued, "If you're looking for Malia she has second lunch as the powers that be figure all of us being together might be a little too much of a good thing."

The joke was perfectly Stiles, the fact it was spoken in a flat tone of voice and no expression of mischief appeared on the younger mans face, not so much. It gave Chris the time he needed though to collect his thoughts and he replied, "Or they're just afraid you'll figure out a way to take over the world if they put you all together." He said as he continued to study the smaller group of Pack members.

"Nah we're doing that later tonight Pinkie," Scott's voice rang out. To which there were several hisses and shushing sounds from the surrounding patrons. Chris ducked his head and smirked as he recognized the cartoon reference. Stiles rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder at his best friend. Scott ducked his head slightly with an unabashed grin. Meanwhile there were several giggles, chuckles and some outright laughs from his table and a few others.

Ice broken, thank you Scott, Chris thought as he asked, "I need to speak to the Pack after school. This afternoon if you have the time?"

Stiles looked back over his shoulder at the other teens and although Erica and Boyd shrugged their shoulders. The others nodded their heads with varying degrees of enthusiasm. He nodded his head and said, "Meet us at the home team bleachers at three twenty. I'll let the others know," he added.

"Not Malia," Argent said softly. "I'm going to go talk to her right now."

The Alpha Mate nodded his head but refrained from wishing the older man luck as he went to rejoin his cubs. Argent rather wished the Spark had wished him luck in facing his younger daughter, he figured he'd need all the help he could get.

**XOXOX **

Malia did not understand why her fellow classmates were making those strange sounds that Aiden told her were called catcalls. She figured they weren't a good thing because both Aiden and Danny turned around and were staring down her classmates, Aiden even did a little sub vocal growling. She gathered her purse and books as she made her way to the office.

When she walked into the office she was surprised to find her Poppa there. Concern slid from her face to be replaced by a flash of hurt before she was able to go back to her neutral expression. Chris was beginning to hate that expression from all of the teens in his extended family. That threw a wrench in the works, thinking of all of the people who he now considered part of his family.

He could only imagine how all of his ancestors who Gerard was all to eager to tell him about would probably be rolling I their respective tombs over who he considered part of his family. That was when he officially and firmly decided to shut the door on what his father and respective relatives dead or alive thought about his life and how he lived it.

He escorted Malia out of the office with a hand at her back and led her to his SUV. He drove to a nearby steak house and asked for one of the private dining rooms. After they were seated and his younger daughter after a little explanation had ordered one of the biggest steaks on the menu, Chris took a drink of water to collect his thoughts.

"I owe you and your daddy an apology," Chris said and then asked. "You know what that means, right?"

Malia nodded but didn't say a word. Just waiting for the older man to continue.

Chris nodded and said roughly, "We, your daddy and I, have tried to explain to you over the past months how things were between your daddy's family and my family and us. How bad things were?" Chris reminded gently before he continued.

Well as much as I hated that time, Gerard was my father and you know how you go to school, do your best and have been trying to make us proud, and doing an incredible job too by the way," he said with a proud smile, "I always wanted to make my father proud too. No matter how bad the things he wanted me to do were."

He said with a shamed expression on his face, "I think in a way I was still trying to make him proud and trying to protect your sister. I'm afraid of what might happen if Ally becomes a werewolf. Some people die from the bite, some people can't handle becoming werewolves mentally and… they either lose their minds or become really violent or just give up." He choked on the last bit and had to stop and take another sip of water as he blinked rapidly to clear the sheen of tears from his eyes.

Malia didn't let him continue as she scolded, "Poppa you should know better. Allison is stronger than that. She would be a beautiful wolf and a powerful one. Your daddy and Victoria tried to kill one of their own. That proves they're the ones who are wrong in the head. Allison beat them though. She didn't die then and she won't die now. You ought to know that."

Chris just looked at his younger daughter and shook his head in awe as he suddenly realized that she was right. Allison was stronger than most, she would survive this She had too. He looked at Malia and asked just to reassure himself, "So you forgive me for what I said?"

"Of course I do, you were just being a silly human," she said as the waitress walked up to them and began to serve them their steaks. "Just don't let it happen again." His younger daughter said firmly in a no nonsense tone, as she lifted the steak and began eating it with her fingers.

**A/N/N~ So the name of the M rated scene is going to be called Spark to a Flame PC Sex Scene. Hope you enjoy it. ~A**


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N~ Something to let everyone cool down a little after that last scene/chapter. A little reference to some post-coital discomfort so be warned. No other sexual activity in this chapter. Although there are some snuggling and cozy moments mentioned. Also there is some bad language, no excuse. Other than J.J. is just that kind of guy and its kind of appropriate for the situation. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 59**

Melissa and Oded were actually already planning second and third dates midway through the meal before they even realized what they were doing. They enjoyed each others company immensely. Scott who had at first felt like a third wheel was soon drawn into the conversation by the older man.

While the older couple had discussed everything from politics to antiquing, Scott and Oded had discussed movies and the similarities between lacrosse and cricket. The two males had even agreed to meet at the pitch this coming weekend so that they could demonstrate their games of choice. With Scott asking to invite his best friend Stiles.

The trio had been laughing loudly at some of the jokes and funny stories they told each other until they looked around and realized they were the center of attention. Not only of the other patrons but also several members of the staff. The patrons were looking at them with disapproval, while the staff were looking on with smirks and smiles of their own.

Melissa had her hand over her mouth trying to keep from laughing and to cover her embarrassment. Scott was looking down at his lap and trying hard not to snicker. He couldn't hide the shaking of his shoulders from his giggles. Oded had simply looked around with just a hint of color showing through the man's swarthy complexion, before he said sheepishly, "Oops!" with a cheeky grin. The nurse had tears in her eyes as she tried not to laugh.

The reporter smiled as he told the waitress, "I think we'll have three desserts please and one coffee for me."

"Make it two, I don't have to go in tomorrow." Melissa explained with a smile on her face. He had rarely gotten to see this relaxed side to the woman he had come to admire over the past several weeks and was grateful he had thought to include Scott in this their first date.

"Milk for me," said Scott. "Coach says caffeine is bad for you when it's close to time for a game. Added stress to the system, or something. The fudge cake looks fantastic," he added eyes alight and practically drooling over the dessert menu.

His mother snickered before saying helpfully, "You do know that chocolate has caffeine in it don't you Scott."

Scott gave his mother a look that was both betrayed and scandalized. "You lie, or…" The teen studied his mother intently before saying sotto voice. "I'll have to have Stiles test you," he said seriously.

"Test her for what?" Oded said with some concern as he looked between serene Melissa and thoughtful looking Scott.

"To see if she has been possessed by the aliens." the teen replied straight-faced.

Looking a little nervous Oded asked in a similar whisper, "Aliens?"

Scott looked around before leaning forward and telling the reporter conspiratorially. "They are trying to take over the world. They are like pod people. They take over the adults, because those who are under twenty one are immune. They try to make the teens more susceptible by having the parents give them healthy food. Junk food is what makes the kids immune to the possession. It's all the preservatives."

The reporter guffawed, this time everyone in the restaurant were definitely staring. He was just managing to get his laughter under control and looked up at their extremely patient waitress and said, "Three pieces of the Chocolate Lover's Dream. Right away, please."

Then looking around at his tablemates he added, "Just in case." By the time the laughter had died down the other patrons had given up glaring at the inappropriate trio and just did their best to ignore the obviously deranged group.

**XXXXXXXXX**

As everyone came into the clearing near the Pack House, no one said a word and everyone did their best to be quiet. Even Jackson, whose sarcasm and sass no one really appreciated was struck dumb by the beauty of the scene.

Stiles was dancing, well technically he was manipulating the elements. Much as he had done whenever he and Derek had first met. Though not as dramatically as that first time, the wind still flew around him, like an extension of his body. Eyes closed his feet unerringly struck the ground, and each time they struck dirt flew into the air.

As the display continued more earth flew up from the ground but it wasn't caught by the wind. No the earth began to flow up from the ground, in the shapes of walls and waves. Then they were startled as thunder began to crash around them. A storm was suddenly upon them without any prior warning. A cloudburst was released into the already volatile and impromptu dance floor.

Stiles eyes remained closed as he continued his moves in tune to some internal rhythm, a music that only he could hear. As the stunned Pack members watched a form began to come to light as the dancing continued. The structure was basically a sand castle formed in the middle of the forest, instead of at the beach. The storm passed as these types of quick showers usually do. Derek was suddenly in the midst of his fellow Pack members as fire could suddenly be seen above the walls of the earthen structure.

Quiet stillness returned to the peaceful glade once more. Derek entered the portal where the drawbridge would have been. He stared around and there in the middle of what would have been the castles courtyard if the structure were actually full sized. As it was the castles walls were seven feet tall with the turrets being twice again as tall.

Sitting there in the center of the courtyard, was Stiles. Legs crossed Indian style in front of him, chest heaving, sweat glistening on the flushed skin of his body, the Spark's eyes were still closed , his mouth set at an odd angle as though having a deep think. Then his eyes opened and zeroed in on Derek and he smiled almost beatifically. He didn't hear the squeals of pleasure from Lydia and Kira, ie, the princesses, as they oohed and aahed over the details the teen had included in his little project.

He didn't hear the compliments of the twins and Jackson as they tried to just push the structure over like you would a normal sand castle. Without success.

His mate walked toward him and he was in a world where only Derek and he existed. As the older man knelt in front of him, he took Stiles face in his hands and touched their foreheads together. Continuing to hold the younger mans face in his hand he used the other to brush a sweat soaked lock of hair off of the teens forehead.

"So I take it you and your mate are going to start your own architectural firm. Very earth friendly building materials, I see. The green crowd will love it, I have to say." Peter said from the entrance.

He and Chris were openly holding hands as Chris reached out very carefully to brush his fingers across the surface of the structures wall. Both men looked more relaxed and happy than they had been since Allison had been possessed. The pair moved further into the courtyard and the Stiles noticed that Chris was moving a little gingerly.

He was about to express concern for the hunter when Derek inhaled deeply and squeezed his shoulder. When he looked up at his werewolf questioningly, Derek merely shook his head warningly while a little smirk danced on his lips.

A laugh had them all looking up, the twins were on a little walkway around the perimeter of the castle that had been created, with Malia standing between the pair. Aiden was jumping up and down on the walkway trying to determine how solid the structure was and looking like a mad jackrabbit as he did. While Ethan was running his hand over the surface much as Chris had done.

Chris was merely looking around in wonder at the thing that Stiles had created.

"You just have to believe," the Spark said softly.

"And if you stop believing?" Chris said thoughtfully.

"Then you make sure you have someone there to kick your butt out of your negative mindset." Derek replied firmly but kindly gazing at the two men knowingly.

"Here, here," Peter said as he leaned over to buss the blue eyed hunter on the ear.

Derek called the other members of the Pack to order as he had Stiles head over to one side of the courtyard. The pair had already had their training session. They were always intense as Stiles had told the wolf to never hold back on him. It and the magic had taken a lot out of the Spark and Derek knew while he looked fine that the younger man's energy levels were flagging. So he would sit out for the purposes of this training session.

The hunter and his werewolf were the instructors for this lesson. Basic anatomy and where were the places to strike for a kill shot, where were spots to wound and where were spots to wound that wouldn't hit anything vital. This particular lesson was particularly important for their current situation. The idea was to wound Allison, to strike the young woman with knife, sword, or claw. Particularly in a non-vital area.

Hopefully the Nogitsune would be fooled into thinking that its host was mortally wounded. Then it would try to flee and hopefully be captured in the box made from the wood of the Nemeton. It was the plan they were working with at the moment at least.

No one was too worried about Stiles as it was obvious he could use his magic to capture or incapacitate the huntress if necessary. The werewolves and Malia worked with Peter and Derek tirelessly to hit the target precisely where they needed to. It was a dangerous plan, they would not only have to get really close to the teen. Which could be very dangerous for them but they would also run the risk of injuring Allison if they were off by so much as an inch.

Meanwhile Kira and Danny were learning how to hit the exact same spots with swords. Danny's skill with a blade was apparently something he came by naturally. Something the Pack had discovered quite by accident when the pair had been doing Economics homework in the Public Library when the oni had attacked. Instead of running the Hawaiian had stayed and help fend off the Shadow Protectors.

Chris was suitably impressed with the pair, and had started training them in earnest. Lydia was quite handy with a knife but they were hopeful that if she came across Allison it was her scream that she would be using to knock out the Nogitsune. Hopefully. When everyone was panting and as sweaty as Stiles had been after building the sand castle.

The Spark stood up from where he had practically been forgotten by everyone except his mate. He stroked Derek's arm comfortingly as he walked by to take his mate's place as the center of attention. There were various expressions on everyone's faces.

Erica was trying to look tough but he saw the doubt in her eyes. Boyd as always looked stoic. Jackson had his usual annoyed expression. Danny looked worried. Kira guilty. Malia looked sad and the twins looked as if they had something to prove. Which Stiles guessed they did. Scott had his sad, kicked puppy look. Cora looked haunted much as Peter and Chris did.

Stiles drew in a breath and let it out on a soft sigh. They needed to vent and the teen gave a little smirk as he figured he had the perfect solution. "Guys, do me a favor? Take care of this for me." He said waving his hand around at the earthen building a little less frenetically than usual. With that said he turned around and left the sand castle without a backward glance at the Pack.

Everyone looked around at each other, before smiles began to appear on their faces and they began to kick, hit and slash at the structure. Eventually there were screams, roars, and yells from the Pack members. The cries varied from sheer joy to frustration, anger and sometimes something even more primal.

Stiles sat on the back porch listening with a pained expression on his face but his body language was very relaxed.

Mary came to sit beside him on the steps as she said, "This isn't going to be easy for them. No matter what the outcome."

"I know," Stiles said, "but we're closer to victory than defeat this time around."

"True," the older woman said as she kissed the teen on the temple. "Have you told him what you remember yet?"

"Not yet, I'm concerned about how he'll react knowing how we changed everything. I'm hoping he'll be happy with the results, but I'm also worried that he'll be angry that I've kept it from him on purpose. Instead of the fact that I just didn't remember until now."

"We don't know the future for absolute cub. We can only manipulate so much. The rest isn't in our hands. Its in theirs, how they react, what they do." Mary` said wistfully. As they watched the sand castle come down almost as fast as it had gone up.

Then she added out of the blue, "It was a well made castle."

"Yeah, but they're all frustrated with everything that's happened. They needed a way to vent their anger and frustration that wouldn't get anyone hurt or cause property damage…to real property anyway."

Mary laughed softly, "You're a very good Pack parent Stiles."

"Yeah I know but I doubt they'll think so when I serve lima beans for dinner." the Spark said cheekily.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**The next day: **Mary had ridden into town on the back of Scott's bike. The teen had regaled her with the story of the dinner he had shared with his mom and her new guy. Scott called him Ashe. Mostly he talked about his stories about cricket and lacrosse. He also told him about the other mans story about the time he had ridden by motorcycle across Europe.

"Mom said no way in hell was I going to bike across Europe after high school," Scott confided, with a mischievous smile, " I didn't tell her about the plan I'm working on to save up money during college and making the trip to Alaska, and then maybe cross country after I graduate."

Mary asked the teen thoughtfully, "So college comes first, I think she'll appreciate that part, at least."

"Oh yeah, absolutely," Scott said as he opened the door for her. They entered the towns very small book store. "I'll be honest with you," he said his voice lowering as they entered the store. "I'm hoping to get a scholarship, but my grades aren't the best. Dad hasn't exactly been forthcoming with child support or any support whatsoever. Mom works way harder than she should but we're still living paycheck to paycheck."

He stopped talking whenever the owner and operator of the book shop came out of the shelves to greet Mary warmly. Mr. Shepherd was older decidedly Irish and a really nice guy who took excellent care of his customers. Even the ones who were just looking for a quiet place to peruse and read the books. He had been a librarian but when he was fired from the library because of budget cuts, he took his laughably small severance package and opened a used book store.

He had used his connections with the library to get the books they considered too used or damaged to keep, or the ones they had too many of at pennies on the dollar. He also had an extensive collection that he added to the stores supply of material. Then he started taking commissions from people who also wanted to sell some of their books. When he had accumulated enough money he started buying new books at professional book sellers rates and then passed the savings on to his customers.

He had also learned what his customers liked and tried to track down special requests that his customers would make. Mr. Eddie even acquired special graphic novels for teens or in Stiles, Lydia's, and Mary's case, research material. Whatever the request the older man hadn't let them down and Scott was hopeful he would find some useful literature here at a reasonable price.

He brought an unopened box from the storage area and set it on one of the tables used for study and reading by the customers. He removed a paper knife from his pocket and easily slid it through the tape securing the lid. Eddie then stepped back so that Mary could check the contents of the cardboard container.

Turning to Scott he asked, "Is there anything that I can help you with young man?"

Scott nodded his head a little shyly before responding, "Yes sir I was wondering if you had anything on Veterinary Medicine, textbooks would be fantastic if you have them."

The man rubbed the beard on his face but then he said, with his usual energy, "Let me see what I can find. In the meantime you might find something right over here." He said before guiding the teen back to a certain shelving unit toward the back of the store. A few seconds later he came back and after checking with Mary that everything looked alright so far. He went to where his computer was set up beside the register and began typing rapidly on the keyboard.

In the meantime Mary was going through the contents of the box. Her hands almost reverent in their examination of the books. She went through them each, checking to make sure all the pages were intact and the information was all still legible.

She felt a frisson of familiarity as she was going through the books. She ignored it. The tombs she pulled from the packing material had her total attention. The old fashioned bells on the door jangled. Eddie asked, "Is there anything that I can do for you gentlemen?"

"No I think we have found what we were looking for," said an all too familiar voice.

Mary's head snapped up and she turned slowly to face the three men who had just entered the store. "Edward, would you mind helping our future vet for a few moments."

The shop keeper looked between the woman who he considered one of his best customers and the trio of bruisers who had just walked in the front door of his shop. After a few seconds he hoped he skimmed his phone off the counter without being too obvious about it. He moved toward the shelves where he had left Scott.

The woman waited until the former librarian was hidden by the shelves before hissing, "If you even think about hurting anyone here, I'll rip you apart myself."

The shortest of the three merely chuckled, "You can't do harm to your mate, sweet."

"You did." she said coldly as she pulled her hair to one side to show the scars on the side of her throat. Thick scars that slashed down her throat to the collarbone. Along with telling me we weren't mates, so I can totally kill you. After all you did, I can and I will."

The man paled as he saw the scars on her neck and then his werewolf vision kicked in as he noticed something. The claw marks had perfectly bisected the claim mark a the join of neck and shoulder.

He bared his neck in submission, looking down in pain as he said, "I can't…I wasn't in control of myself."

"Tell that to the members of our Pack that you killed, how many were there again?" Mary asked pointedly, watching as he visibly flinched. Then added, "Do you even know, how many?"

She stepped away from the table and said, "Let's start with our own cubs, Olivia is dead. Sarah's mate is dead, protecting his cubs from you. Our oldest has already said that you will never see him or his children in your lifetime. Patrick is wandering, in hopes of finding a cure. He said that if you were what he was destined to become he would rather be human."

"I didn't know what I was doing," the wolf said defensively.

"I forgave you, I forgave you long ago," Mary crossed her arms over her chest and simply stared at the man as he still refused to look her in the eyes. "Is that what you wanted to hear Lane? Blu already told me she had seen you J.J. Personally I think you were lucky she didn't rip you to shreds. She healed the scars on her face but not the others, did you see them?" She looked at Rhys and rather than address him directly, she looked back at Lane and said, "You and your hunter friends killed seven of the cubs. Seven before I could shift all of the rest out. Sixteen in all dead or missing."

"As for the others, I can't say, I forgave you. I won't forget and it's not enough to take you back. That you haven't earned and truth be told I don't think you have it in you to re-earn my trust." Confidently she walked back to the table that had the box sitting on it and began to rifle through the packing material, looking for more books.

"I knew I would find you here," the werewolf almost whispered. She didn't look up but her hands stilled. His head was lowered but he was looking at he from under his lashes as he continued, "The only book store in town I knew you would either be here or they would know who you were. I knew I could find you. I knew your barrier when I felt it but it still let me through because it knew I meant no harm."

He cautiously took a step closer and continued, "I know I…we have to earn your trust back, and that we have a long way to go, but we will earn your trust again. We will be a Pack again." Lane said determinedly. He went to take another step closer and suddenly Scott was there in beta form between the trio and the woman.

"She already has another Pack," the teen growled. "You're trespassing in Hale Pack land and Beacon Hills Pack land. From the sounds of it you're probably not someone that either Pack wants in their territory. So maybe you should just leave."

Lane didn't answer the younger wolf instead he was staring rather pale faced at Mary. J.J. however gave a deep chuckle to the teen he asked, "And what are you pup? Some little Omega bitch that hangs around hoping to get scraps from the table?" He said his voice harsh and gravelly as he spoke his eyes glowing blue from his caramel colored skin.

To his credit Scott didn't even flinch at the dig. Instead he tilted his head and said, "At least I have a Pack, from the sounds of it, you burned yours." Some little memory niggled at the back of Scott's mind at the comment he had just made before he could grab on to it, the thought had slipped away and he continued. "All I have to do is protect the lady, who let's be honest doesn't really need it. I mean let's face it she could kick your asses with a twitch of her eyebrow and nothing else."

"No all I have to do is wait. Mr. Eddie has already called the cops, the Sheriff is my unofficially adopted dad. If you passed the border one other person probably knows you're here and he won't like it. He kind of likes Mary, and I don't think he'll like you threatening her. On top of that Mr. Eddie is a nice guy, let's take it outside so we can minimize the property damage."

This time it was Rhys who spoke as he said, "You really think there'll be any property damage when we wipe the floor with you?" he said a hint of British accent creeping into his voice.

Scott didn't answer for a moment his eyes distant as he rubbed a spot just below his sternum. "Yeah, you haven't been in a real Pack for a while, have you?" he said absently. Then walking between the trio as if he hadn't a care in the world, he opened the front door of the shop sending the bells on the door jangling. "Be right back Mr. Eddie. Shall we?" he said with a flourish of his hand to indicate the trio of werewolves were supposed to accompany him as he headed out to the parking lot.

Lane and his two lieutenants left the book shop to discover that their were a small group of people already standing in one corner of the parking area. Lanes eyes gravitated toward the scruffy looking young man. Red eyes glowing even in broad daylight. To his left was a tall too skinny young man with curly dirty blond hair and a smirk on his face. To the right a young man with glowing golden eyes, eyes stood stoic with skin even darker then Rhys. His shaved scalp shone with sweat in the sun. To the dark-skinned mans right was a blond with dark eyes and a smile that was so wicked he actually gave a shudder. The Alpha was standing behind another individual who drew his gaze.

The Alpha was powerful, but the young man who stood in front of him was even more powerful. He had lived with Mary long enough to recognize the signs of a Spark and a very powerful one if he was any judge. The brunette puppy who had stood up to he and the others so boldly trotted over to the group. He and the powerhouse Spark gave one of the weird elaborate handshake movements. Then he moved to join a young Asian woman, whose eyes were innocent as he brushed her hair back off her face in an all too intimate gesture.

Another car pulled into the parking lot and more people piled out of the cute little silver car and headed for the group. The red head flipped her hair over her shoulder and settled into position at the Sparks left side her hand settled on his shoulder. The set of twins were a surprise, the matching red eyes had his head draw back, the young brunette's glowing blue eyes and the tall young mans ease of stance had Lane rethinking the ease of reclaiming his mate in this town.

The two police cars pulling into either exit of the parking lot at that exact moment had him look sternly at the puppy. He only shrugged shoulder with an unrepentant smirk. The Spark gave a little grimace as the Sheriff got out of one car and a dark haired deputy got out of the other. The deputy stayed near his car and though he didn't draw his gun, the warning was there.

As the Sheriff walked towards the Spark, the teen asked two of the Pack, the redhead and blond to go check on Mary and Mr. Eddie. The blonds red lipped smile continued as she didn't take her eyes off Lane and his friends. The redhead was so unaffected by their presence she barely glanced at them but her disdain was obvious.

"Pack business, Dad." said the Spark nonchalantly.

"My town, my business Stiles." the older blond Sheriff informed his son. Before he turned to face Lane. The Alpha was surprised when the older man walked to within reaching distance of he and his Pack mates before asking, "And you are?"

"Lane Cassidy…" he said extending his hand which the Sheriff very pointedly did not take. Looking back and forth between the Sheriff and the opposing Pack. Lane took a sniff and although he smelled human the older man also smelled like a member of the Pack that stood at his back so he continued, "Alpha of the Middlesex Pack."

A raised eyebrow from the human set the Alpha back a bit, as he replied coldly, "And that's supposed to mean something to me?"

"All I know is that you came into a business, intimidated the business owner and threatened one of his customers. Not exactly a good impression on your first day in town, Mr. Cassidy." the Sheriff suggested sarcastically.

Lane bristled and started to open his mouth when he heard a growl from a brunette female, that looked to much like the Alpha for it to be a coincidence. "Show respect," came the soft command from the diminutive female. There was no doubting it was a command. Then he looked around and realized that not only had the deputy moved closer so had the Pack, particularly the Spark.

Blacked out eyes stared at him and the young man no longer looked so young or soft. Instead he felt the hostility coming off of him, like a wave of heat rolling over his body. Lane couldn't help trying to show his dominance as he replied, "Perhaps you should be more concerned with your son and his companions, Sheriff."

"My son and his Pack aren't the ones at fault here. You are aware of the fact you are in the territory of other werewolves without their permission. In my opinion and from what I've heard that's so far against the rules, it's just asking for trouble." the Sheriff said succinctly.

"How would you know that?" J.J. asked in a neutral tone, genuinely curious.

"Instead of asking stupid questions just because I'm human. I think I would be more concerned with what you can do to keep from being locked up at the moment. Especially since the full moon is in four days." the Sheriff said a little more quietly but in no less a firm tone.

Lane recognized the man was doing his job of soothing ruffled feathers while still keeping the peace and said in a very respectful tone, "Of course Sheriff I would simply like the opportunity to try and make amends with my wife. It was never my intention to threaten the shop keep, although I realize we can sometimes be a little intimidating."

"Scott," the older man called and the young puppy from the book store came to stand closer to the Sheriff.

"Yes Sir?" he said respectfully his eyes shifting between Lane and his lieutenants.

"Did they actually threaten Mr. Shepherd or Mary in anyway?" the blond asked.

"No sir, not verbally, but I couldn't see the front of the store from where I was when they came in." Scott said, his hands folded behind his back. His spine was ramrod straight as he spoke to the older man.

Now Lane was thoroughly confused about who the Alpha was in this situation. His money would have been on the broody and bearded individual who stood behind the Sheriff's son. Then he thought it might have been the son, because an Alpha would usually shield their mate. Now the Pack was deferring to the Sheriff, a human.

"Here's my suggestion Mr. Cassidy, go find a hotel, sleep your hormones off. If Mary wants to see you, she'll find you. Otherwise don't get in trouble again or I can guarantee you'll be spending the full moon in one of my cells . I don't think anyone will like that, am I wrong?" the Sheriff asked.

Then when Lane and the others didn't answer Stilinski continued, "And by suggestion I mean very strong advise that if you don't follow you will end up in a jail cell. Oh and I wouldn't recommend that you try to find an ally in the other Pack as she is currently trying to curry this one's favor. He said pointing with his thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of the Pack standing there. "Taking your side isn't going to be an option for that. Good evening gentlemen."

The blond went over to grab a clipboard out of the front seat. He began writing on some form clipped there ignoring the entire group in the parking lot. The deputy checked for damage in the area. They had no idea who the Sheriff had been indicating when he pointed over his shoulder at the Pack, and although they had some ideas they still really didn't know who the Alpha was in this odd little Pack.

Lane also had no idea how to get his mate back. Especially since this Pack seemed to have adopted her into their ranks. The Sheriff was beginning to glare at him over the top of the clipboard. Without a word the Alpha gathered his Pack members and left the parking lot and heading back to the center of town, were most of the hotels were located. Intent on working out a plan to regain the trust of his mate.


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N~ I just realized I've actually written more than 60 chapters on this story. This has actually gone a bit slower than I anticipated and there are a few chapters I'm thrilled with and a few I wish I could have done better. Things are beginning to come to a head though. Thank you everyone for your favorites, follows and reviews. I truly appreciate them and all of the lovely fans for the show and this story. ~A**

**Chapter 60**

J.J. flopped down on the bed in the crappy motel room and said in his gravelly voice, "So I'm gonna take a guess and say that didn't go exactly the way you planned?" The question was rhetorical so Lane didn't answer, he just glared at his younger friend.

Rhys pulled out the phone book and started looking for a nearby restaurant preferably one that delivered. He was the quieter of Lane's lieutenants. He kept his own counsel until he felt his input was needed or he had something to say that he felt Lane needed to hear. The man's instincts were flawless, and had gotten them out of several deadly situations.

It had taken Lane a long time as the Alpha to get out of the thought process that had him being right all of the time, just because he was the Alpha. It had taken several years and several rather intense fights with his mate. During which Lane invariably ended up either on his ass or sleeping in their guest room at their Pack House.

He couldn't fault Mary for that. The truth was the Alpha had been as Mary said, 'an arrogant prick' in those days. It seemed he had reverted back to those days since he and his friends had been freed of Viki's influence. He growled in self disgust as he began pacing in the limited space afforded by the hotel room.

Really he would have liked to go running under the moonlight. True it wasn't a full moon yet they still had a few days but his wolf was writhing under his skin. Needing the release of the change he considered exactly how fool-hardy it would be to go running in another Packs territory, actually two Packs.

Which of course led him to wonder about the dynamics of a territory that required two Packs to watch over it. How the Alpha's even tolerated each other in the same space, he had no idea. The only reason that he, J.J., and Rhys were able to pull it off was that the trio had known each other since they were sperm practically.

He had a feeling the answer was the little human Spark. He hadn't really gotten close enough to check but he suspected the answer was the Spark they had met.

The young man was powerful and there was no doubt about that. He could practically feel the tingle of raw magic in the air when they were in the same room together. He was also fairly sure that the scruffy looking Alpha and the Spark were mated, or well on the way to being so. The thought brushed his mind that having two Sparks in his Pack would make them a power to be reckoned with on several fields.

Then he remembered something the casual yet gentle way the Alpha had grazed the Sparks shoulder with his fingers. It spoke of love, tenderness, and possessiveness. The Alpha would fight for the Spark, his Pack would fight for the Spark. Mary would fight him for the Spark, her own mate, and in her current mood he had little doubt that she would kill him, he had none about her ability to kill him. That put an end to the random thought.

A knock at the door to their room startled him out of his deep think, not enough to shift but it was a close thing. Rhys going to the door without hesitation, and taking two large bags of food from the young uniformed woman standing there. He gave her a fifty and said, "Keep the change." Before pushing the door to with his hip.

When had he ordered food? The answer was simple when Lane had been pre-occupied not figuring out a plan for getting his mate back. The truth was as he was being an arrogant prick he had thought that all he would have to do was show up and Mary would fly into his arms. Like J.J. had said that hadn't exactly gone as he had planned. As he sat down at the small table and waited for his friend to pass out the take out food. He began to reconsider what he needed to do to get Mary back.

Which meant he would have to think outside of the usual Alpha box.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The next day was Saturday and since the full moon was on Tuesday, the Pack were having their meeting today. Which meant practice, planning and bonding. Laura had come to join in on the practicing. Which made things between Jackson, Cora, and Laura a little awkward, but Stiles and Derek were working to smooth things over between the trio of werewolves.

Peter meanwhile was staring up in irritation but a spark of pride at the entirely too perky Kira. As the young kitsune had once again put him on his but. Something he was very proud of, but once again she had used more martial arts than sword play. When the whole point of the practice was to get her to hit the non-vial areas with her sword.

Patiently the werewolf climbed back to his feet before stalking toward the young woman. The smile melted from her face as she saw her instructor move toward her in a predatory manner. "Again," he said as he moved within her range. Kira responded in an instinctive manner. Kicking out at the man, with a lightning quick move he snatched her by her foot and twisted, not hard enough to break her ankle but hard enough to put the girl face down in the dirt, hard.

Scott immediately protested and went to help his girlfriend up, only to have both Peter and Derek in his face. Peter said sharply, "She's meant to be fighting my daughter. Do you really think that Alison is going to go easy on her. Do you think that Allison isn't going to try and kill her just because she's a girl or only a kitsune instead of a werewolf.' He said as he helped pull the girl to her feet but didn't release her as he looked around them at the now gaping Pack members.

"Do you think Kira's being Scott's girlfriend is going to make a difference to the thing that is now wearing my daughter's face? What do you think Cora, will it make it easier or harder for Allison to kill Kira because of her dating Mr. McCall here? Or do you think it will make a difference at all?"

The brunette looked between the two before her gaze returned to her uncle and in a flat tone replied, "I don't think the Nogitsune cares who's dating who. I think they're only interested in causing chaos. If she kills Kira, it will hurt Scott. If it hurts Scott, if it hurts him it will hurt Stiles. Anything that hurts Stiles, will hurt the Alpha which in turn will hurt the rest of the Pack."

"Chaos, she wants to create chaos." Laura added in a subdued tone her eyes not meeting anyone else's as she spoke her eyes lost in thought, "Plus hurting anyone in the Pack will hurt you and Uncle Chris because it's wearing Allison's face, that'll cause chaos too. The Nogitsune feeds on chaos, mayhem, blood and pain."

Stiles picked up where the Alpha heir had left off, "Let's face it we're kind of a walking smorgasbord with the people of Beacon Hills being one hell of an appetizer… or dessert." The Spark looked around at the others who had formed a loose circle before adding, "We're the protectors of this town. The Nogitsune is probably just the beginning. We have to train like we mean it. No more holding back, no more play fighting. Allison won't hold back. Whatever is coming after Allison won't hold back."

Seeing Scott begin to protest Stiles said sharply, "Yeah I'm pretty sure there is going to be something after the Nogitsune, probably a lot of something's if I had to guess. We have to fight for real because most of the people in town don't know about any of this. They won't know how to fight it, they don't stand a chance against what ever the Nemeton calls to it."

Seeing the confused faces he reminds them, "I told you I don't think it's an accident that the founding father's named the town the Nemeton. Hell for all we know the founding fathers and mothers were werewolves, witches, druids, maybe even a banshee or two. The point is if we only play at being the protectors of this town, we're going to lose, we're going to die, and the people down there are going to be right behind us. Now get back to work."

With that the Spark walked over to the table where Chris and Peter had laid out a frightening large and diverse array of weapons. Stiles fingers traced across one of Allison's long bows as well as a crossbow. He lifted the two quivers e of regular arrows after carefully checking the fletching and separating the arrows and then the quiver of shorter bolts for the crossbow.

He then picked up both weapons and walked toward where Allison would normally practice. Of course the target hadn't been used in several weeks not since the huntress had been possessed by the Nogitsune. So he began to remove debris and a vine from the standing target.

Absently he recognized that the rest of the Pack had started to practice and it might have even registered that there seemed to be firmer grunts and cries as they fought against each other. Stiles was in his own head space right now though. Trying to remember several years ago when he had gone to summer camp for a few years.

It had been when his mother was still alive and so fell into the bittersweet category, but he had become fairly good at the archery then. It beat most of the other activities where the other kids seemed to recognize him as an easy target. Canoeing, deliberately capsize to watch the painfully skinny and gangly Stiles flail dramatically. On the upside he had learned to be an exceptional swimmer, and in later years had even taken a lifeguard training course.

Hiking truth be told he had loved that even though he'd hated doing it with the group. He loved the beauty and quiet of nature. Orienteering loved it, gave him the opportunity to explore the woods. It drove the counselors nuts though, as he was forever going off to explore and refused to stay on the beaten path. So they always thought they had to go looking for the lost Stilinski boy. He didn't know why they never believed him when he told them he always knew exactly where he was and where he was going.

Arts and crafts he was actually pretty good at too. Unfortunately that only made him more of a target for the other campers. So Archery and getting back to nature were his go to things. It unfortunately had made him more isolated from his peers, but also more independent. Which ultimately made his mothers death if not easier then somewhat more tolerable.

As he set up he even heard Lydia use a slightly less powerful Banshee scream, to make it slightly less painful to those with more sensitive ears in the Pack. She had never done that before because she was unsure of her skills. The twins were helping her though, apparently in their misadventures with the Alpha Pack they had come across a Banshee who had been able to use her voice as a weapon, and they were doing their best to teach her how to do that.

The endeavor wasn't without its challenges though. Trying not to die from it was the first problem. Which Danny had countered by providing ear protection for the entire Pack. It didn't block out everything but it did reduce the bleeding from the ears damage at least.

Finally satisfied with his efforts Stiles began testing the draw on Allison's weapon of choice. The bow strength was a little more powerful than he was used to. Luckily between his more gymnastic efforts with his magic and the training with Derek he was also stronger than he had been when he had gone to camp. Of course he was also terribly rusty. His first several attempts missed the target completely.

He was grateful for his Spark as he went hunting for those arrows. He was actually rather pleased with the distance he got on several of those wild shots. Stiies was a little surprised that no one seemed to notice he wasn't participating with the rest of the Pack, but then they probably imagined that his practicing with Derek was enough. In a way it was, he was always bruised and battered after their sessions, even though he knew Derek was actually being rather gentle with him because he was human even if he was a Spark.

By the third round of arrows and bolts, muscle memory was starting to kick in. He was hitting the target more than he was missing. By the fifth all of the arrows were hitting the target and a few were even hitting the center circle not the bulls eye but still he was satisfied with his progress to return the equipment to the table. He heard someone's cell ring and looked through the arrangement on the table

Since Derek usually had a violent reaction to cell phones ringing while they were sparring and Peter said there was no room for interruptions during training. Chris had made a rule that the Pack had to leave their phones and other electronics on the table they used to hold weapons and so forth while they were practicing. He noted that it was Chris' phone that was ringing.

"Chris," he called out to the man who was now observing Danny lunging at Peter with an epee. When the hunter looked over at him Stiles tossed his phone to him. Then the Spark dug into the cooler that sat nest to the table and pull out a bottle of water. Downing half of the cool liquid at one go gratefully before applying the bottle to the side of his face. The condensation trickling onto his skin.

The hunter had apparently put the call on speaker phone against his own rules, as Stiles could clearly hear Malia on the other side of the conversation. "Sorry I'm running late. My math tutor decided to torture me a little longer than usual today." she explained and it was obvious she was talking on the phone while driving. No one called her on it though, as Peter had installed cell phone holders in the girls cars to prevent any distractions while they were driving.

"I hate math," and they knew the parents were probably not supposed to have heard that.

Aiden merely called from where he was leaning against his brother, "You and me both babe."

They heard her laugh, "I'll be there in a few minutes. I need to work on…" She hesitated and then they heard, "What…" Then there was the sound of screams. Some were from Malia and some were the sounds of metal tearing and screaming. Then the line went dead.

**XXXXXXXXX**

It took the entire Pack including the Sheriff and Parrish sirens blaring, a grand total of four minutes to get to the crash site. Stiles and the human part of the Pack, rode in his Jeep. The werewolves ran and beat the Jeep and the police cars by a few seconds. The small blue car, was crushed into the trunk of a tree but the crushed in side of the car told a competent investigator with eyes what had really happened.

They all surged toward the vehicle even though they were almost sure Malia wasn't in the car. The drivers side door was standing open, and the way the car was crushed in on that side spoke of someone powerful having wrenched it open. Though they couldn't really tell if it had been Malia or someone else who had opened it at this point.

The Sheriff stood on the side of the road, as Parrish, Aiden, Derek and Stiles ran down to the car. The rest of the Pack spread out to the surrounding wooded area looking for Malia or any signs of someone else having been in the area. Aiden and Stiles made it to the car first Stiles wasn't ashamed to say that what he saw made his heart top for a moment.

The airbag had been deployed and since deflated. Malia's leather and fabric bag was on the passenger seat, her phone was lying in the floorboard on the passenger's side of the car. Both of the front seats and part of the dash had blood on it. The windshield was cracked and spider webbed from the drivers side of the vehicle, but it wasn't from point of impact from her head, it was from the tree.

Then he noticed the piece of paper in the seat, just as a breeze had it slide to the driver's side floorboard. Looking around he noticed that Aiden had a bandanna in his back pocket and yanked it out, despite the twins protest. It registered finally, several members of the Pack were calling Malia's name in the growing gloom of dusk.

He used the bandana to pick up the paper and flipped it open, his blood began to pound in his head as he read the scrap of paper. Aiden meanwhile is scenting the air and says to Derek, "Do you smell that?"

The Alpha merely nods his head and says, "Yeah, wolves bane, very strong."

"Any chance it won't affect Malia like it does us?" Aiden asked hopefully.

"Even if it doesn't, the dose smell's strong enough to kill a human. Can't imagine it'd be good for a were-coyote either." Scott said as he came out of the tree line. In his hand was a sneaker, one of Malia's sneakers.

Erica came from a different direction, she saw Stiles face and it's normal pallor looked a positively ghastly shade of grey as she asked, "Stiles what is it? What'd you find?"

He tried to speak and the first time nothing came out, so he repeated what he was reading:

_If you're looking for the coyote, I have her._

_Meet me at the school yard by midnight._

_Don't be late as I have given her _

_a dose of wolves bane and let's face it._

_Hunters have never tested it on coyotes for effectiveness,_

_So I gave her a really large dose._

_Just in case the potential loss of the coyote,_

_doesn't inspire your cooperation_

_I also planted several bombs all over this quaint village._

_They'll start going off a few minutes after twelve._

_Let's see if werewolves can move as fast as they say._

_Do I really need to mention who this is?_

Scott read over his friends shoulder and when he got to the end said huskily, "Allison."


	64. Chapter 64

**A/N~ Ok so I don't know anything about the infrastructure of a town, especially not one like Beacon Hills. Where people can blatantly ignore the supernatural and increased homicide rate of the surrounding area. That said any errors are obviously mine and are to be blatantly ignored. Thanks you guys. ~A**

**A/N/N~ Sorry for the late post. This didn't end where I wanted it to but it got so long. It was either stop it here or not post at all this week but post a book all on its own for next week. Anyway enjoy the chapter guys. Let me know what you think. ~A**

**Chapter 61**

The Pack are all assembled back in the Loft. The only missing members are Melissa and John, who are working. Plus Mary who is apparently dealing with her old Pack. Parrish is here, on the outskirts of the group, keeping an eye on Lydia and Issac. Peter and Chris, are on the outskirts as well, trying to console each other over their missing daughters.

Jackson is comforting Cora as much as he can, while Laura is standing apart from the pair. She is staring at the two of them with a combination of need and loss. The pair are doing their best to comfort Aiden and talking with Danny who is also trying to comfort the twins.

Lydia is also standing near the trio offering her support. Aiden is beside himself as he paces back and forth, muttering under his breath. The werewolves understand what he is saying with their werewolf hearing. The humans can guess what he is muttering without the added supernatural boost. Lydia stands in his path, "Self-recrimination won't help either one of them. Get out of your head and focus on what we have to do to get her back. To get them both back."

There a few muttered agreements, Peter even adding a, "Here, here," for good measure.

Erica, Issac and Boyd are standing near the large glass window, the couple are talking to each other as the curly blond head of their Pack mate is lowered as he stares out the window. His gaze is unfocussed and staring inward more than anything.

Scott and Kira are standing near the table but when Stiles walks in through the open loft door the pair rush towards him to help him with the rolled up paper, duffle bag and small box he's carrying. "Trust me buddy, this stuff isn't that heavy." Stiles said softly.

"Maybe not," Scott agrees bashfully, "but I needed something to do before I go wild."

Stiles eyes met those of his bestie and then looked around the room at the others desperate expressions and nodded his head in understanding. Kira helped him spread the map of Beacon Hills out on the table. Using an empty glass and the pencil box to hold down the edges of the map.

Derek came to stand beside his mate on one side as Scott stood on the other side. Many of the others came to stand around the table as Stiles began to counter strategize against Allison's plan.

"Remember," Stiles said thoughtfully and brusquely, "Allison has been trained since before she was old enough to understand, where the best places are to cause havoc and chaos. That's exactly what the Nogitsune is looking for and is probably at least part of the reason he chose her."

"It gives her an advantage, but she's not the only one with advantages. Chris?" Stiles calls. "You're my devil's advocate, if I say something stupid or don't think of something, call me on it."

"Danny you're going to be our coordinator, keep us all in the loop with what's going on with the others. Set your computer up down there," Stiles says indicating the end of the long table. With that he hunkers down and unzips the duffle bag at his feet. "These will keep us in touch and no Parrish you don't want to know where I got them from." He said as he pulled out several walkie talkies and started handing them out to everyone.

"Ok primarily, she's going to want to cause havoc. So think of it like a terrorist attack. She's going to go for the infrastructure first. Then the places with a lot of people, mostly she's going to want to go after people who are important to us, to her, to Allison." Stiles said as he took game pieces out of the pencil. Most were chess pieces, with their names on little sticky notes, but there were a few regular game pieces like from _"Sorry."_

"Ok, so infrastructure, electricity, water, police and fire department." he said as he placed the simpler game pieces at those locations. The primary power station for the valley. He looked at it for a minute and then added, Kira, Issac and Scott to the station. He picked up Danny's knight and placed him where the Loft was on the map. Then he picked up Jackson's Rook, and Cora, and Laura's Bishops, one black and one white, and placed them at the water treatment plant.

Then he had an afterthought and put a game piece where the school should be and placed Derek and the twins chess pieces there. "Ok so I know she said she wanted the whole Pack there. I'm just hoping that you three can keep her and her oni minions busy, while we take care of the bombs." He took two more knights, these had Parrish's name and Dad on them and placed them at the police station. Before adding his own piece, a small white pawn.

Then he looked at the fire station thoughtfully before placing three pieces there. Erica's white Queen, Boyd's white Rook, and Lydia's white Bishop. 'Hopefully, she'll have Malia with her at the school because I doubt the Nogitsune will tell us where she is before we can exorcize the fox spirit. Anything I missed?" he asked looking up at Chris.

It was Chris and Erica who both said, "Yeah," at the same time. Chris looked over at the blond with his eyebrow raised. "Ladies first," he said indicating the map.

"I'm not a lady yet and besides I would say age before beauty but I think creepy Uncle Peter would say you fall into both categories. So you first." Erica said waving her hand at the map with a flourish. There were a few sounds of amusement from the surrounding members of the Pack.

Chris moved forward and took another simple piece and placed it on the map. It took a few seconds for everyone to recognize the location. "The hospital?" Stiles asked.

While Scott said in a tiny voice, "Mom."

"It meets all of your criteria," Chris replied matter-of-factly. His eyes were on Peter as he continued, "Infrastructure, where will those people go when the bombs start going off, to the hospital. Not to mention all the patients and staff who are already there. Lots of people. Plus there is the added attraction of Peter and Mellissa being there." He explained all of this coolly, his eyes were on Peter though and they were anything but calm.

Stiles was nodding his head as he added, a black Bishop with Peter's name and Chris' black Knight and a black Pawn with Mellissa's name on it to the hospital. "Ok Erica what have you thought of?"

The blond stepped forward and almost too quick to be seen snatched two of the chess pieces from the map. She carefully switched the names and put them back on the board. Now the white pawn had her name and the white Queen had Stiles name. Before Stiles could protest the teenaged girl asked, "Does anyone disagree with what I've done?" seeing the Spark start to open his mouth she placed her palm over his mouth and added, "Other than Stiles?" There were negative responses to the question all around the room and a few grins.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Asher was on his way to work, is mind wasn't on what he was doing though or even where he was going. It was on his date with Melissa and her son, Scott. He had really enjoyed himself. He shared similar tastes in music, art, and politics with Melissa. While he could also talk for hours about sports, video games, and travel with Scott. They had both made him laugh and truth be told he hadn't had much to laugh about for a very long time.

He couldn't really remember the last time he had enjoyed himself so much. He definitely couldn't remember laughing so hard. Perhaps when his wife and son daughter had still been alive. As he started to drift into memories, the growl of two motorcycles pulling up to the stop light across from him drew his attention. He recognized Scott's motorcycle and helmet immediately. He didn't recognize the young man on the other motorcycle or the young woman riding behind Scott.

He didn't know what they were doing or where they were going. However, there was a certain intensity to the way the trio moved. He had recognized it because he had felt that intensity and seen it in the bodies of his fellow soldiers just before they went into battle. A protective instinct came to him that he hadn't experienced in quite a long time. As the pair of motorcyclists gunned their engines and drove past. Asher whipped the car around and followed them down the street.

He kept a discreet distance from the trio just in case they were merely going to a party or to a make out session. He hadn't lived in the area long enough to figure out where the make out areas were. He was trying to dissuade himself of what he thought he had seen in the body language of the teenagers. It wasn't working though because the trio still seemed to have the same tautness in their bodies.

When they went up a dirt and gravel road he had half convinced himself that they were in fact heading to an area that the locals must use for a place to be more intimate. He still followed them, some instinct insisting that he follow them. When he came around a curve he slowed and turned off his lights

Ahead of him was a well lit electrical station. He watched as the taller young man slid off his bike and went to the gate. He reached out to touch the gate and shook it a little to prove it wasn't electrified. Before reaching for the padlock and chain, with one yank the chain was broken and he was pulling the chain off before opening the gate to let the others through.

The young woman who had been on the back of Scott's bike, pushed the other boys bike through the gate as the other teen pulled the gate closed behind them. He arranged the chain around the gate so it still looked secure before he followed the other two as they hid the bikes behind a small concrete block building. Scott turned his bike off and the trio came back out before they split up and began moving deeper into the maze that was the electrical station.

Oded really didn't like how this looked and pulled the car off the side of the road across from the well lit area. He pulled it as far into the woods as he could without getting stuck. Then slid out of the SUV and closed the door on the vehicle as quietly as he could. He hustled across the gravel road not bothering to look for traffic as he imagined that this road was hardly traveled at all.

The hum of electricity through the wiring covered whatever noise he might have made as he removed the chain and went through the gate. He replaced the chain as well as he could, before heading into the power station after the other three. He had seen the direction that young Mr. McCall had headed and followed him.

Surprisingly he was able to follow the tracks more than anything, showing that no one really came out here that often. Which still didn't explain what the young man and is friends were doing in the middle of a power station after midnight. At least it wasn't a school night, he nearly smacked himself for that train of thought.

Then he heard an unclear yell followed by some raised voices. He was getting concerned for the young people and himself. He moved closer to where he thought that the yelling had come from. He heard the skittering sound of rocks sliding against each other from his right. It drew his attention in that direction just as the tall blond ran by incredibly fast, Asher followed him.

He ran up behind them and what they were holding had his stomach drop. They were holding a something black and about the size of a car battery. When they tilted the device he could see red numbers on the top counting down, from seven minutes. While his mind was adjusting to the fact that Scott was holding a bomb, another part had to note, clever use of handcuffs. The device was handcuffed to one of the metal pipes that undoubtedly performed some vital function for the power station.

Then his mind finally circled back to the important point here, Scott McCall was holding a bomb. A bomb that apparently was going to go off in eight minutes and change.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Lydia, Boyd and Erica were able to break into the fire station while the firefighters were out on a call. Lydia was able to be lifted by the other two to get into an unlocked window of the building. She shimmied through the window and ran around to the backdoor of the station house.

Doing her best to put her hair back into some resemblance of order, the strawberry blond said to her friends as she let the two werewolves in, "We will never discuss what has happened here tonight, ever."

They walked past her and then looked around the structure. "Let's split up. We can cover more ground that way?" Erica suggested.

"I have a better idea," Lydia said thoughtfully. "Use your werewolf senses. Listen for a timer. Smell something chemical…no scratch that. This place is undoubtedly full of chemicals. Just use your senses to try and find what you think doesn't belong."

The pair looked at each other and then went to separate sides of the building and started checking it out. It didn't take long before Boyd found the bomb in one of the lockers. Lydia after a couple of minutes of examining the device disabled the bomb handily.

The trio carried the bomb out of the door that Lydia had let the werewolves in. They ran towards Lydia's car just as the fire truck and it's crew returned from their call. Lydia quickly put the bomb in her trunk and slammed the lid shut before the three drove back toward the school.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The kids are arguing between themselves on how to disable the device. When Scott accidentally does something and the timer on the bomb now says five minutes. Scott's totally useless utterance of "Uh oh," has Asher moving out of his hiding place and towards the three teens.

He ignores the blond who turns startled and his eyes go yellow and he growls at the older man who steps forward and takes the device from Scott. "Ashe!" the teen says in surprise.

"Go! Take your friends and get out of here!" Asher commands as he begins to examine the device. "Thank the heavens no mercury switch. GO." he repeats with authority.

The tall blond does start heading away from the bomb. But Scott and the girl stay and Scott says, "No way. You leave this is my…"

The device floated away from Asher's hands and began to spin this way and that in midair. Leaving Scott standing with his mouth wide open as small bits and pieces began to come off the device. Finally the timer stopped ticking down with four seconds left.

Asher heaved a sigh and wiped a hand across his face as the pieces lowered back to the ground slowly. The young Asian woman rushed forward and collected all of the pieces and putting them into her backpack. Asher was glad to see that she put the piece that actually held the explosives in a separate pocket than the ignition device.

"But you're a reporter," Scott finally found his voice.

"I wasn't always a reporter Scott." the older man said cryptically. "That was a real explosive device not just a mock-up. What kind of game are you playing?" he added angrily.

The teens looked at each other and he said sharply, "The truth Scott."

It was the young woman who answered, "Someone's planted bombs all over town, we're trying to find them all before midnight. The person who planted them said they're not supposed to go off till after then."

"Clearly that was a lie," Asher said indicating the girl's backpack. "Where are the others?"

"Police station, water plant, hospital…," Scott began reciting worriedly.

"The hospital!" Asher shouted and suddenly the man was gone. Not just moving he was practically flying as he ran towards his vehicle. Scott hadn't even had a chance to ask him how he knew magic.

The teen was still standing there when Kira grabbed his arm and started pulling him toward the motorbike as she reminded him, "Come on, we have to get to the school."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Jackson's face was pinched as he let the two women into the water treatment plant. As the captain of the swim team he was the one who was able to swim against the current into the flood gate and remove the grate blocking the tunnel for a quick and easy exit if it becomes necessary.

The teen stayed where he was for a few precious seconds trying to look around to see if there was anyone else in the purification plant. The office area was empty but well lit. The industrial part of the plant not as much, but still enough to move around and work fairly easily.

Assessment completed the werewolf made his way to the locked side door, he unbolted and unlocked that door to let Cora and Laura in. He tried to whisper instructions in case he was wrong and there were employees in the building. Even with werewolf hearing neither of the girls could hear him, he couldn't even hear himself.

So he raised his voice to the point of yelling, and the girls continued to shake their heads in frustration. Finally he resorted to hand gestures and the sisters got the message. He wanted them to split up in order to cover more ground. The two girls went off in different directions. Cora managed to make the jump to the catwalk above them. This close to the full moon they were stronger, their senses heightened. The only problem with that was that their wolves were closer to the surface. They were less in control.

He went in search of the device. He searched near the waterway and further into the machinery. Even with the heightened senses this close to the moon, they were faced with the noise from the rushing water and the whine of the machines. The oil and ozone from the machinery made his nose itch. After the second time around and not finding anything the werewolf growled in frustration.

He turned and was headed back to the place where they had all started, when he heard a splash. He looked up to see Cora running along the catwalk toward Laura. Laura was on the same floor as he but her face was white as a sheet.

Jackson ran toward her, she seemed to be in shock because her eyes never met his. Instead she was staring at the access point where open water was rushing past under the structure they were standing in. Then he saw it.

A couple of yards from the opening was the bomb and leading up to it, were a set of wet tracks. Not footprints as in human, but tracks. Wet, inhuman claw marks, looking for all the world like the prints of a croc or gator. Marks he thought looked remarkably and disturbingly familiar.

He didn't have time to consider this discovery. Instead he went towards the bomb as Cora ran towards her sister to comfort the shocked Alpha. Jackson noted the timer on the device he had just slightly more than one minute to either disarm the bomb or get it away from the structure. He looked toward the exit and then he followed the tracks back to the access point.

He had a split second to think that if the Kanima could do it so could he. Then he grabbed the device and dove into the water. He rode the current swimming with the device as fast as he could. Hoping the added impetus of the strong current would help him get far enough away before the explosive went off. Werewolf strength aided his already powerful strokes as he swam through the water to the center of the river.

He wedged the bomb between two large boulders, noting the timer had 12 seconds left. Jackson swam for shore, he touched bottom, stood and was able to take one step before the bomb detonated. The force of the blast was enough to throw him onto the rocky beach. He shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears.

Unfortunately that only added a round of dizziness to the multitude of aches and pains he was experiencing. So instead he turned back to the river which was still settling after the blast. He sat down weakly and after a moment gave a little huff of laughter.

Drawing in as deep a breath as he could manage the teen howled at the shrouded moon. He heard surprisingly several answering howls from several different directions, including two that seemed to be heading in his direction. Then he heard a more rasping call from very close by. He looked out over the river and saw a head pop up about three-fourths of the way towards the opposite shore. One again he heard the rasping, hissing call, before that head slipped back under the surface.

Cora and Laura came running toward him. Laura was picking her way more carefully while Cora ran at break-neck speed toward where he was sitting. He cringed at his own wording but couldn't help his inner voice that said, "More like break ankle speed."

Jackson raised his hand in the hopes that Cora would see he was alright and slow down. It didn't work, but miraculously she made it to his side uninjured. "I'm o…" he started to reassure only to have her lips latched onto his and she was pushing him back onto the stony ground of the shore.

When she backed away releasing his mouth from the aggressive and lusty kiss, Jackson almost forgot the pain he was currently in from laying on the rock riddled beach. Almost. First he said, "Wow!" a little softly, then he gave a little wince and said, "Ouch!"

The brunette asked, "Oh good grief, are you okay? How close were you to the explosion?"

Laura by this time had reached them both and was also waiting with concern for his answer. "See the boulders there," he said indicating the middle of the river with a carelessly waved arm. Both girls nodded and he continued, "Explosion there, me here." He said as he indicated the edge of the shore where wavelike ripples were still lapping onto the beach. He pulled Cora closer as he felt a shudder run through her small frame.

Her taller sister, looked back and forth between the site of the explosion and the soaking wet werewolf. Finally Laura carefully pulled him upright, this action complicated by the fact Cora was clinging to Jackson like a limpet. Her hands on his shoulders she turned him to face her as she demanded, "Never do anything that foolish again. Do you know what an explosion like that could have done to you if you'd still been in the water?" Then she pulled the pair into her arms like a mother who had lost her children in the mall, only to be gratefully reunited with them.

The two younger werewolves stared at each other, with matching raised eyebrows. Cora finally shrugged at her mate as if to say, "Just go with it." The pair allowed Laura to just hold them before things started getting awkward and Jackson reminded them they were supposed to be getting to the school. The trio then made their way back to the parking lot where they had parked Laura's SUV.

**XXXXXXXXX**

The Sheriff was doing his best but it had been a busy week. Make that manic. His eyes swept the area looking for the device. Stiles had received several phone calls from the other members of his Pack who had already found several of these bombs. So he at least had an idea of what he was looking for.

Stiles being here wasn't his first option either. Unfortunately his son was being stubborn and since at the moment he couldn't spare the man power to evict his son from the station. He really needed to find this bomb. He was grateful for the fact that Parrish was here at least. The deputy was a former explosives expert.

When, and John was going with when not if, when they found this thing. He and his son and his son's mate, were going to have a discussion about obedience. In the meantime he really needed to find this bomb. Stiles had it in his head that he could help disarm the bomb. If they found it in time, the Sheriff had no idea how he was going to do that.

Outside of the nearly self-sacrificing nature his son had developed, he was changing into quite the young man. With that he moved into the prisoner holding area. They had already searched the cells twice. Anymore than that and they would have a riot from the prisoners.

If he had more deputies he might think about moving the prisoners to the holding area in the courthouse. Unfortunately it was smaller and they were already crammed with prisoners. One of the deputies not Parrish had mentioned the fact of things going crazy this close to the full moon. John Stilinski was just beginning to understand what really happened during the full moon. He hadn't laughed.

He was headed back toward his office when the blast hit and he was knocked off his feet. He got up and began calling for his son. "Stiles!" he called. As he helped one of his deputies back to his feet. A trickle of blood was coming from the deputies forehead, but the mans eyes were focused and he seemed alert. So the Sheriff put him to work checking on everyone else in the building.

"Stiles," the Sheriff called again as he continued toward the front of the station. The damage was worse here, which wasn't good because this is where most of the people were in the building. Shattered glass, splintered wood, and papers were everywhere.

He saw his office or what was left of it anyway. From the looks of it, this was the center of the blast. A man was handcuffed to the bench outside his office and from the looks of the debris, he should have been dead. The mans name was Murdoch, he couldn't remember the first name and he'd been brought in for drunk and disorderly. Just went to prove, the God loved fools and the devil loved drunks.

Then he saw his son, he and Jordan Parrish were trying to help an injured deputy. Jordan was rendering regular first aid, but Stiles was surreptitiously holding the fallen man's arm. Although it was difficult to tell from this angle, John was certain he saw the Spark's eyes glowing black.

Jordan glanced up at the Sheriff and his eyes were saddened while his face was stoic as he shook his head. He reached up to put his hand on Stiles' shoulder. The Spark didn't flinch or respond in any way, the air around him seemed to shimmer with heat though for a few minutes. Even Parrish pulled his hand away as if he'd been burned.

Then the man on the ground, who they hadn't bothered to turn over, moved. The movement was slight and for a few seconds the Sheriff thought he might have imagined it. Then he saw shards of glass and other debris start falling from he mans back where they had been imbedded. Parrish had put his hand back on the man's neck to check his pulse. His son still hadn't moved but he was beginning to shiver slightly.

"Stiles?" John called again and once again his son ignored him. Looking over at his deputy the young man looked a little shook up as he glanced at the Spark then up at his boss. Jordan had a look on his face, a look of awe as he slowly nodded at his boss. That yes the fallen officer had a pulse. Then they both saw that not only was Stiles beginning to tremble more violently his nose was starting to bleed dark red, almost black blood.

Without really knowing what he was doing the Sheriff knelt on the rubble strewn floor and wrapped his arms around his son from one side and watched as Jordan did the same from the other side. "Let go, Stiles." His father said softly, as he squeezed the young man gently, "You can let him go now, he's safe."

He felt rather than heard his son draw in a slow shuddering breath before slowly collapsing weakly against his father. Parrish added, "They're all safe and we still need to get to the school."

"Did you see what he did?" a voice from said. It was the civilian still handcuffed to the bench in front of what used to be his office. "Did you see him?" he asked again as he stared at the four of them on the floor. John stiffened in concern for his son as the man continued speaking in perfectly sober tones. "He stopped the explosion," Murdoch continued. "He stood right in front of it and it just stopped. That deputy just stopped it." The two men just looked at each other over the bowed head of the Spark, The Sheriffs eyes filled with gratitude and the Deputy's filled with understanding.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Asher Oded arrived at the hospital to a state of semi-panic. The halls of the hospital looked as if a series of bloody hurricanes had gone through. The reception desk was abandoned as he ran by. That in itself added to the alarm he was already feeling. He paused to get his bearings trying to figure out where he needed to go.

It was hard to focus with all of the chaos going on around him. He froze with that thought. Whoever was planting these bombs from what Scott had let slip, they wanted chaos. In order to plant the bombs though, they needed a place with minimal foot traffic to try and limit the chances of them being caught planting the devices. In a busy hospital there were a very few places that could be.

Then his brain clicked to the animal brain, a place he really didn't like to go. The best place to put a bomb is either in a gas main or near a furnace or boiler room. The added fuel for the explosions would not only probably take out the whole hospital and everyone in it. He thought about what was going on and realized that the added arrivals of all of the victims from the other explosions would create even more victims. Their families and loved ones would all also be coming here.

He nearly threw up as he slid into an opening elevator as the other passengers disembarked and hit the basement button automatically. He had never been too far into the hospital, thanks to the formidable guard dog that was Melissa McCall. If things were as they normally were in these sorts of things the boiler room or furnace were usually in the basement as well as offices that were usually involved in the mundane billing, accounting, human resources and so forth of the hospital. People who wouldn't know what was coming.

Looking at the board that showed the different locations of everything on this floor as well as the route to take during a fire drill, the reporter hit upon a flash of inspiration or insanity at this point he was beginning to think they were one and the same. He pulled the fire alarm before heading to the boiler room. He was surprised to find he wasn't the only one in the room when he arrived.

He was very disturbed to see Melissa here along with Dr. Hale and a man he recognized only slightly, having seen him around the hospital and town on occasion. They had found the device and the man he didn't know was working on it.

"Chris," Dr. Hale said in a warning tone. The silver haired man looked up startled to see Asher there.

"Ashe?" Melissa asked looking up away from the explosive to him. He felt his lips curve up at seeing her face. Although her expression didn't change the look in her eyes did as she said, "I don't think you should be here right now."

Ashe tried to get a look on the timer on the device but 'Chris' was blocking his view. "Something tells me that none of us should be here, but we are. So what are we looking at here, he asked as his animal brain set up shop and was setting his skin to tingling.

"Pete, we're running out of time, could you get rid of this guy." the one named Chris said distractedly as he continued to study the device. Before Dr. Hale, could take a step toward the reporter he lifted the device away from the silver haired man and turned it to see the timer.

This device was a little different, Asher ignored Chris's protests of, "Give that back, genius."

The timer read 2:17 and Asher cursed under his breath as he began disassembling the device in mid-air. He felt the pinch of pain between his eyebrows that told him his magic was beginning to take it's toll. Meantime he compartmented the comments of the others. He heard them, he just didn't really pay attention.

He slowed down though as he got to the part of the bomb he didn't recognize. Tracing a wire with his finger as he took off other parts he did recognize. Asher didn't realize he was scowling until he felt Melissa touch his arm. He couldn't ignore her when she asked, "What's wrong?"

"This is synced with several other explosives in the hospital. Apparently whoever did this knew this would only take out part of the structure and decided to be thorough. This is the primary though," he said as he went back to his work he continued to explain. "If I can disable this one the others shouldn't be able to go off. Then it will just be a mater of collecting the others and disposing of them all properly."

"Asher how are you doing all of this?" Melissa asked seriously. She had removed her hand from his arm but she was still right beside him and while he wished she were anywhere else right now, she was also a huge incentive to get this done and done right.

"Now might not be the best time to distract him Ms. McCall." Chris said cautiously.

"On the contrary, she is helping me focus," Ashe replied. Not noticing the look the other two men gave each other. He gave Melissa a modified answer. "I'm a Spark, a little rusty at the moment," he said with a strained smile, "but it's coming back to me."

That's when they noticed his skin's usually swarthy tones were paling into something more sallow and perspiration was rolling down the mans face and beginning to soak through his button down shirt. His eyes had a pinched look around them and she said, "Are you all right?"

He smiled again, but answered truthfully, "No, not really." His voice was a little higher and even more strained than before. Suddenly the last few pieces separated and the timer blinked out but not before they noticed it only had two seconds left on it. The pieces clattered to the floor, followed closely by Oded.

Peter helped Melissa catch the unconscious Spark before he actually hit the concrete floor. Chris looked at his watch and spoke urgently to his mate, "We need to get to the school."

Melissa looked up at the other two and said, "I've got him, you go." When Peter looked doubtful she gave him her sternest look and repeated, "Go, save our kids."


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N~ Unfortunately, due to some business I will not be able to post next week but I will be back the week after to post the next chapter. Just so nobody comes after me with pitchforks or torches, no cliffhangers. But I will be moving on, to the confrontation with the were-Anubi and the resolution with Mary's old Pack. So stay tuned my lovely**

**Readers. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 62**

Stiles arrived at the school the same time as Lydia, Jackson, Laura, and Cora did. The blood coming from his nose had slowed to just a trickle but he was still bleeding, and from the look of his shirt looked like a Horror Show reject. Seeing it Lydia actually looked very concerned. The Spark felt as if his brain indeed his whole body was wrapped up in a bale of cotton, only he ached too much for it to have been for protection. His eyes had faded back to their natural amber color, but he was still on edge and exhausted at the same time.

He lurched toward the members of his Pack but didn't make it to them. Instead Lydia came to him and put her arm under his shoulder.

"What's going on with you man? You look half-dead." Jackson asked in a concerned tone.

"I was only nearly dead, as opposed to the deputy I brought back who was all the way dead" he said with a wan little smirk before adding tiredly, "So yeah there's that."

They all stared at him dumbfounded trying to figure out if he was being for real or going for a laugh. When there was no answer, Stiles merely nodded, realizing the others didn't seem to get the half-baked reference to the Princess Bride and Stiles would have called them on it but he was just too drained. "We should find the others and fast."

"They're probably in the breezeway. I doubt the Nogitsune will let them get any farther than the student union." Cora said.

The others agreed and headed into the school, with Lydia still supporting the Spark. When they made it through the breezeway. They found their friends fighting the oni with Allison standing on the stairs watching. The dark circles around her eyes and her pale face glowing in the artificial light of the courtyard. A smirk on her face as if they were all there for her entertainment, then she noticed the new arrivals.

The smirk slid off her face as Jackson, Cora and Laura, roared before joining in the fight. Stiles eyes met Allison's and he felt this insidious chill as déjà vu struck him, "Nope not this time." he said under his breath.

Derek was slashed by a sword just a few feet away and he hissed and growled as he willed the new injury to heal faster. He knew Stiles was here before he even saw him. That was how strong their mate bond. Just as he knew when the Spark picked up the claw box where the Alpha had placed it on the ground.

He slammed his clawed fist up under the jaw of the oni he was currently fighting. Snapping the creatures head back on its neck. A move guaranteed to knock any normal creature on its ass at least. This one didn't even bother to hit the ground. It simply adjusted its stance and then turned to face the Alpha once more. Aiden saw the move coming and shoved the Alpha out of the way of the killing stroke. The oni thrust the sword into where Derek's chest, specifically his heart had just been.

Aiden roared as the sword nicked him where he stood. It hit his chest but because of the size and location differences the sword slid over the Alpha's ribcage. Slicing through skin and muscle tissue and sliding along the rib cage before it slipped between two of the ribs and nicked the twins lung. Instead of falling Aiden grabbed the hilt behind the small pommel and pulled the oni towards him off guard and shoved his clawed fist into the chest of the creature.

When the empty eyes of the mask started glowing a sickly yellow, Aiden figured he must have hit something important. As he drew his still bloodless hand back out of the spirit guardian, he also yanked the hand back that was still holding the hilt of the oni's sword.

He snarled when the sword came free of the wound in his side, saturated in his blood, along with his left hand. He watched as the oni began glowing through several cracks in the armor. The Alpha Twin opened his hand and there was a small bug crumpled within his still curled fingers. The thing twitched once and the bug and the oni disintegrated into dust at the same time.

The Alpha Twin stared at the Pack Alpha who acknowledged the fact the twin had saved his life with a nod. Seeing Stiles and Lydia the twin tossed the blade to the girl with the words, "Here you go Red." Before falling to his knees hoping he healed before another of the crazy shadow creatures tried to take his head off.

Ethan was trying to get to his brother when an arrow came out of nowhere and went through the oni that was about to swing at Aiden. The Alpha twins looked around startled as another arrow missed but distracted an oni facing off against Lydia. There on the roof stood Chris staring down the shaft of an arrow at his own daughter.

Lydia cried out, "No!" before destroying the oni she had been fighting and deliberately placing herself between Chris and the Nogitsune. These kids. Didn't they know how hard this was for him? He didn't want to kill the creature that was wearing his daughter like a suit. He wanted his daughter back, but he had no idea how to accomplish that little trick. No one really knew how. So they or he was stuck with the choice of saving his daughter, or killing the creature. Right now he couldn't do both and if he let the thing go. There would be more bombs, and next time they might not be fast enough, clever enough, strong enough.

He raised the bow quickly and aimed just over Lydia's shoulder. The tip of the arrow was able to cut through several of the threads of yarn on her sweater on its way to imbed in the shoulder of the Nogitsune. Her eyes suddenly went black and the dark circles around her eyes darkened even more.

Then there were howls from just outside of the school grounds and further away more sounds of the approaching Pack. A look of fear and anger entered the Nogitsune's face. Allison held the shaft in place as she ran away further into the school grounds. Issac appeared beside Chris on the roof of the school building before leaping down to try and follow the escaping fox into the school. Only to be called back by his Alpha.

His impatience was obvious, the young Beta practically vibrated with the need to hunt, the need to move, the need to do something. Derek came to Stiles and touched his mates shoulder. Stiles felt a warm, fuzzy feeling settle over him and it wasn't just because his lover was nearby. He pushed the long sleeve of Derek's Henley back and looked at the dark veins where the older man was drawing his pain away.

Then he saw something odd under the Alpha's skin. Gold almost like molten lava roiled under Derek's skin as Stiles felt that added heat under his own skin. The added heat that replenished the energy he had expended saving the deputy and practically teleporting here. "My guy learned a new trick," Stiles said in a slightly slurred tone as he enjoyed the sensation which was like honey flowing in his veins; slow, sweet, and warm.

"When we go home, and we are all going home," he said raising his voice and making eye contact with the Pack members in the school yard, "I'm going to sleep for several hours, and you're not going to let me go for a long, long time."

Derek leaned forward to whisper in the younger man's ear. "Is sleeping the only thing you want to do in my arms? Am I already loosing my charms? Am I starting to bore you?" The whispering was a total waste of time of course since everyone in the area except for Chris were supernatural and heard what was said or could guess from the flush that stained Stiles cheeks.

"Pfft. Are you crazy?" the Spark said looking up at the other man as he said, "I don't think you will ever become boring, it's just not possible. Trust me." he nodded in the direction that the possessed girl had run and said, "Now let's go get out girl back.

**XXXXXXXXX**

They decided that it would be Lydia, Issac, Derek and Stiles who followed Allison and the instructions were give that the rest of the Pack were to surround the school grounds and keep Allison from escaping. Needless to say there were a few grumbles, especially from Chris. Peter hadn't arrived and with all that was going on in the town, Stiles really wasn't expecting either he or Melissa to show up.

Derek's voice spoke over the grumbles and muttering, "We're a Pack!" he said, a hint of authority thrumming through his voice as he spoke. "We act as a Pack and we move as a Pack. When we go after Allison you and Peter will stay out here. You're too close to this and a little too eager to take out the Nogitsune before we get both Allison and Malia back."

While the rest of the Pack moved to do their Alpha's bidding Chris stayed behind prepared to argue his case. Derek stared the older man down as he added more quietly, "Allison still has Malia and if you kill the Nogitsune before we find Malia, we may not be able to find her. Allison has been trained for years on our werewolf abilities, what we can and can't do. She's hidden her and we still haven't been able to find her. If you kill Allison then we run the risk of losing both. You did remember that, or are you still so far in hunter mode, you don't care about it?" The Alpha asked with a hard look for the Hunter.

Chris bristled but said, "I wasn't trying to kill her I was trying to wound her in the hopes it would leave a trail to follow. The Nogitsune is a master strategist and manipulator add to that Allison's training and it's a lethal combination."

Stiles was getting tired of this and just wanted to go after their Pack mate, and didn't care for this version of 'who's is bigger.' "While you're standing here discussing it she's getting away." Stiles said sharply and started to walk away as he continued. "We saved the town, now let's save our girls."

Lydia and Issac fall into step behind the Spark and Aiden tosses the tall werewolf the wooden box as the Beta walks by the Alpha twin . The pair nod at each other before Aiden follows his twin to join the rest of the Pack in setting up a perimeter around the school. With a rather toothy grin Derek ran to catch up to his mate. Walking rather proudly beside the older man, the Alpha said under his breath, "And what are we doing tonight Brain?"

"What we do every night Pinky," Stiles answered out of the corner of his mouth and just as quietly. "Stop somebody else from taking over the world, before we can." Issac tried really hard not to laugh, he nearly choked. Lydia merely rolled her eyes and shook her head at the Alpha pair, but Stiles could see the smirk that hovered around the edges of her lips.

The four Pack members made their way through the gate that led to the commons, only to find themselves in the middle of a snow covered battle ground. Once again several oni were in the snow covered field. "Didn't we just kill these guys," Issac asked sotto voice.

Lydia said in the same tone, "Don't know. They all look alike to me."

Derek and Issac moved to stand between the threat of the oni and their more fragile human counterparts. Neither one of them were foolish enough to say that out loud of course. Then Allison appeared, or rather the Nogitsune in its bandage bound form danced into sight. While she had just been shot in the shoulder, with what the Pack could only imagine was her own bow. The Nogitsune was style and grace itself as she performed a ballet number in front of them. It was disturbing though to see the usually bandage bound Nogitsune do something so feminine.

The arrow was gone from her shoulder, as a matter of fact she didn't look wounded at all. She turned to them as if she had only just noticed them and stalked forward. Her oni separated she and the Pack members, but they could still hear her quite plainly when she spoke, "I told her that we would kill all of you. Everyone she ever loved."

"Malia," Lydia said fearfully.

"No foolish Banshee. Allison." it hissed at her, "I must admit she has been a lot more useful and entertaining than I could have ever hoped. The other, the were-coyote has been annoyingly resistant to my charms." He studied each of them in turn before settling its gaze on Stiles.

"Let me guesss," it hissed as it stepped slightly closer, "That'ssss who you're really here for, the sissster, Malia? After all Allison has been tainted by me. That's why her father tried to kill her earlier. Yessss, I told her asss much. She didn't want to believe me but n the face of such overwhelming evidence, what choice did she have."

"That's not true we're here for both of them." Lydia said, this time without a quiver in her voice. "And we're going to get them both back."

"You sound so determined Lydia, bet I can still make you ssscream though." the bandaged creature threatened.

The oni moved forward and engaged the two werewolves as Lydia held the sword in front of herself awkwardly, as though she had never held a sword before. Stiles recognized and applauded the actions. She was lulling the Nogitsune and the oni into a false sense of security by acting like a novice to sword fighting in the hopes of luring them closer. He had to say his former crush was brilliant.

The clash was brief and violent, before the werewolves were able to force the oni back. Once again the Nogitsune fell back when she saw her warriors were losing. Stiles could understand sacrificing pawns but the Nogitsune wasn't into sacrificing unless he got something out of it and so far he couldn't figure out what the fox spirit was getting out of these maneuvers.

As the thoughts continued to flow he and Lydia were fighting side-by-side. The Banshee lunged away from him and he turned to see her strike home. The oni didn't go down though. Instead it fought back and landed a blow to the strawberry blonds upper arm.

He saw the werewolves slashing at the oni with the same effect, none. The oni though were having a lot more success landing their sword strikes on the members of Stiles family, to his anger and frustration. Then something on the ground under, half concealed in the snow caught his eye.

There lying open on the ground was a textbook, next to a very familiar looking picnic table. One he and other Pack members had sat at on numerous occasions to take advantage of fine weather to study or eat lunch at some time. A backpack here, a basketball there, and although he wasn't very familiar with musical instruments, he thought was a French Horn case sat on the ground shoved near some bushes. A shout from Derek snapped Stiles out of his own head and he saw the oni about to slice into his shoulder or neck.

The Spark's hands snapped up one caught the sword mid-swing, while the other came up and an energy ball formed and was launched at the oni in one smooth movement. There was no effect and Stiles shouted, "Stop! Stop fighting. It's all an illusion."

The other three Pack members, instantly obeyed the Alpha Mate's order. Derek looked over his shoulder at his mate and asked, "Stiles are you sure?"

"We were kicking ass in the breeze way and on the stairs. Now all of a sudden we're not having any effect…yeah I'm sure." Stiles looked over at the misshapen spirit and said, "What's the matter? Our moves a little too much for you? So in order to counter our moves you had to break the rules?"

"You're in my world now, Stiles. Only my rules count here." the bandaged creature said in a sinister tone.

"Your world? I don't think so." he said stepping forward. Lydia blocked a downward stroke from one of the oni, and shunted it to the side and away from Stiles. The Spark kept walking forward as his Pack members ran interference with the oni.

"This isn't your realm, Allison's maybe, but not yours." The teen said as he moved toward the bandaged creature.

"What does Allison have to do with anything, Ssstiles?" the Nogitsune hissed.

"I have a better question." Stiles said sarcastically, "Why in the world would a thousand year old fox spirit have a realm that basically is our school covered in snow? Simple he wouldn't." With that the Spark shoved the Nogitsune through the school doors into the hallway.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles felt the others follow him into the school building. Derek moved closer to his mate as everyone realized that the Nogitsune had disappeared. Lydia was there beside him though. Suddenly Issac gave a little cry and skidded up against the lockers. They turned to find Allison standing there. Derek lunged toward her only to have the possessed girl grab him by the chest slam his head against the wall before throwing him to join Issac against the far wall.

"Your moves, as if you have any moves at all." Allison said as she stalked toward them down the hall with Lydia holding the swords in front of the pair as they backed down the hall.

"Did you really think you could beat me at my own game?" Allison said, her face was almost blue it was so pale and the dark shadows around her eyes made her look hollowed out as the Nogitsune continued to rage, "Beat me? I'm a thousand years old, you can't beat me."

"No, but we can change you," Lydia said in a tremulous voice.

"Change?" The Nogitsune said doubtfully.

"You forgot about the scroll," Stiles said tapping his head. "Change the host."

Derek was there and biting into the possessed girls shoulder as she screamed. Lydia was also there and drove the sword through Allison's chest with a garish splash of red splashing across the front of the lockers. She writhed on the blade for a moment. As Lydia pulled the sword back, Allison coughed and a firefly flew out of her mouth and back towards the entrance of the school.

Gaining speed as it got closer to the end of the hall. Only to be captured in the Nemeton box by Issac. "Go get Peter. He should be here by now." Derek called.

Stiles, Lydia and Derek all knelt around the young girl on the floor. Stiles struggled out of his plaid shirt and pressed it into the wound on Allison's chest. While Derek stripped out of his long sleeved Henley and pressed it into the exit wound on the girl's back.

"What was that?" Allison asked as she looked up at the trio of friends.

That's what you call a divine move." Stiles said a little shakily, "Sacrifice a king to get two queens back."

Allison smiled and a little blood trickled from her mouth, "There is no such move." She said a little huskily. Derek took one of her arms and began drawing pain even as Stiles took the other and pushed healing energy into the huntresses body.

"In my game, there is." Stiles said blandly, "The Nogitsune thought we were playing his game. Really we were playing mine and when it comes to my family. I will always win."

"Ally where is Malia?" Lydia asked as she knelt by her best friend.

Allison's tear stained face crumpled into a look of horror and sorrow as she whispered, "Tell her I'm sorry. She's in the boiler room with the last of the bombs."

"I got it," Lydia said as she looked at the two men, holding her friends blood in her body. Lydia quickly grabbed the sword back up from the floor and ran in the direction of the mechanics room of he school.

"Lydia, be careful," Derek called. Lydia didn't answer.

"Lydia!" Stiles called.

"What?" the Banshee shouted. As she turned to look back at them, exasperated.

"Yellow wire," the Spark called the reminder. Peter and Chris came in through the double doors at the end of the hall as the young woman took off around the corner.

**XXXXXXXXX**

A few minutes later Lydia was walking carefully around the same corner coming back towards them. Malia's arm was slung over her shoulders and one of Lydia's arm was wrapped around the girls waist. She held a trash bag in the other hand. The Sheriff had arrived but was standing back as Dr. Hale attended to his step-daughter. Stiles and Derek hadn't moved from Allison's side but when Chris saw Malia, he was up and running toward the were-coyote.

He wrapped his arms around the other girl before lifting her off her feet and carrying her like a little girl back to her sisters side. Lydia continued toward the Sheriff. When she reached him, she presented the trash bag to him as if it were a present.

The Sheriff looked a little suspicious and she said, "Here you go."

"What's this?" he asked.

"That's the last of them," she explained and looked around. So far it was still just back, no regular civilians to ask too many questions. "How are you…we going to spin this. People may have seen Allison…"

"I've thought of that," the Sheriff said and explained. "Malia was kidnapped by our mad bomber. He coerced Ms. Argent by threatening to harm her sister if she didn't help him. She confronted him and he stabbed her."

"Simple yet elegant," Lydia said approvingly, "and what happened to him?"

"He blew himself up at the water treatment plant," Jackson said as he and several other members of the Pack.

"That might not work, the timing may be a little off," Laura said regretfully.

"I'll say whatever you need me to say," Allison whispered weakly from where Peter was still working on her.

Peter responded, "Your only responsibility young lady is to get better."

Scott came running in and called, "The ambulance is here."

The Sheriff moved closer to Lydia and said, "We're going to need that sword, Ms. Martin."

Lydia looked a little sheepish as she said, "That might be a problem," under her breath. Looking down the hall, as the EMT's came through the door. Sunlight haloing them as they rushed toward Allison and Malia.

"It belonged to one of the oni," she explained, "When dawn came, it went up in smoke, just like they do." The Sheriff looked over where the Argent hale family huddled together on the floor as the doctor gave the EMT's rushed instructions.

"We'll figure something out," the Sheriff said. "It's what you do for family."

.


	66. Chapter 66

**A/N~ Due to complaints about some inconsistencies in this story I will be trying to go back during the next several weeks and making corrections to the chapters. Proofreading has never been my strongest suit but I will also be trying to continue posting on a weekly basis as much as real life will allow anyway. Please continue to read, enjoy, and review. Especially reviews they help me write better. ~A**

**Chapter 63**

Allison was sitting pale and fragile looking in the hospital bed, thinking that the man in front of her was possibly the worst F.B.I. agent she had ever seen. Not that she had seen many but with her father being a gun salesman and one of the best trackers in the country she had met a few.

Her sister Malia was in the next bed, pretending to be asleep, sedated. Only those in the know realized that drugs worked the same way on her as they did on werewolves which was barely to not at all. Peter had come in to give her the medication earlier to give her an excuse not to talk to the agent. Malia was afraid she would either say something that would get her sister in trouble or the agent would annoy her so much she would offend him.

Allison was grateful that her sister didn't seem to blame her for what had happened. She was also glad too that the Nogitsune hadn't hurt the were-coyote, other than knocking her out and chaining her up.

Back to the agent, what had he asked? Oh yes. "No as far as I ever saw there was only the one person and he always wore a mask and deliberately altered his voice." Then she added as an afterthought, "I suppose I might have known him, but I couldn't recognize him."

"Why do you think you could have known him Ms. Argent?" the agent asked and there was something in his eyes that told her to tread a little more carefully with her answers.

"Well because he wore a mask and disguised his voice. The mask most do so you won't recognize them later. The voice is a little more tricky. That's more a you might recognize my voice if you heard it. So that implies I would have heard it, heard him before." she gave a wan little smile as she said, "of course that's conjecture and just my opinion."

"And do you know many people fitting the description you gave us?" although his tone was neutral, her dad bristled at the implication. She grabbed her dads hand and laced their fingers reassuringly.

"Agent McCall, I know a lot of people in this town. I go to school here, hang out here. My father has a lot of people he does business with from here and even more from out of town. I'm part of a very extended circle of friends and people I consider family. Your son included. Several of whom are slender and around 5' 10" to 6" tall. Again your son included." Allison measured the agent with her gaze and then added, "Heck you would fit the description. Do I think any of them did this, no. Do I know who did, no. Now is that all Agent I'm really starting to get tired.

Agent McCall looked as if he were about to object, when the door swung open and Dr. Hale walked in. He and Hale didn't have the warmest relationship. He had even accused his former wife of having an affair with the man because of how protective the physician was of his wife. Now he was just profoundly embarrassed as the man walked in and said rather jovially, "Hello family, how are we doing?"

Rafe saw the moment the other man took in the clenched jaw of Chris Argent and the pasty appearance of his daughter and his eyes zeroed in on the agents presence in the room. "Agent McCall I would have expected you to be gone by now. It has been over two hours now. I believe I told you to limit your visit due to the fact that the girls are still recovering. If this is limited I think I need to have a talk with someone who is superior to you."

He moved in between the agent and the bed, the brush of fingers against the arm of Mr. Argent was subtle. The attention he paid to the brunette in the bed was not. "He's just trying to do his job, poppy." Allison whispered.

"So am I sweetheart," the doctor said softly as he checked her pulse. McCall wasn't the most perceptive of agents but even he recognized the hint of guilt in the other mans voice.

"Poppy this isn't your fault," the girl replied as she took his hand in her own.

He smiled at her weakly and said, "I was supposed to protect you girls."

"We were," Chris said from behind his husband.

"How do you defend against something like this? How could you even imagine.." Allison said weakly

"I …we still should have been there." the older man said as he looked to the other bed. Malia twitched slightly, and Peter knew his daughter was fighting the urge to jump up and comfort him. Her blatant honesty was really the last thing that Agent McCall needed to hear right now.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me doctor?" the agent's voice was beginning to grate on Peter's nerves.

Peter turned his eyes weren't glowing by sheer strength of will but they were flashing in anger as he snarled, "Yes, there is agent, Get out! Your presence is no longer required or desired here."

"I think…" Rafe started condescendingly.

"Evidence points to the contrary." Chris said sharply.

"Get out now agent," Peter repeated, "or I'll have you removed by security."

"I don't think…" the agent started again.

"Proven," Chris snapped again this time grinning in a bloodthirsty manner.

"You're a jumped up out-of-towner, I'm the man who signs their paychecks. Who do you think they'll listen to? Leave Agent McCall, and when you get to your car, just keep going. The killer is dead, accidentally by his own hand. The girls are back. Case closed. The fact you're still hanging around… just seems like you're trying to cause trouble. Now get out." Peter concluded as he went to stand by his other daughter.

Malia was shaking so hard right now she had the bed actually giving off a very fine vibration. He doubted anyone but a werewolf could hear the rattling of the bed. Still he took her hand in his in the hopes of calming her before the human did take notice.

The agent looked around at the little family and although he still had the distinct impression that there was something, a very big something he was missing. The doctor was right, there was nothing else for him to do here. Not unless he wanted to be censored by his bosses back home. Well nothing else for him to do here in this hospita0l room anyway.

"I thank you for your cooperation," Rafe said a little stiffly with a slight nod of his head. "Ms. Argent, I commend you and your sister on your courage. You handled yourself well and I hope you and your sister have a speedy recovery. If you do happen to remember anything else please don't hesitate to call." With that he drew out one of his business cards and placed it on the over bed table before he left.

As soon as the hospital door clicked shut and his shoes could be heard clicking down the hall. Malia sat up and started to say something in a very angry tone but her father placed his finger over her lips in a warning gesture. He whispered in a silky voice, "Calm sweetheart, be calm."

"How can I be calm, when all I want to do is rip his heart out?" Malia growled her eyes flashing.

"Remember that we have your sister back. There were no casualties. Some injuries, a few citizens frightened out of their skins and some property damage but no deaths. The Pack is safe and secure and so are we. Everything else is irrelevant." Peter said confidently. He then carefully pulled his daughter closer in an affectionate hug. A sentiment she may have over-shared as she nearly squeezed the stuffing out of the older werewolf.

**XXXXXXXXX**

John Stilinski really hated paperwork, he was glad to get the bomber/mass murderer case off of his desk. In a fit of petulance and ingenuity, Stiles had suggested that the Sheriff send his final report to Agent McCall's superiors. It was an inspired idea and John had peppered the file with the occasional compliment for the agent.

Some of the compliments were true and some was 'embellished' but there was also the suggestion of the variety that the agents gifts were wasted in the very small town of Beacon Hills. The truth was that if the agent remained in their hamlet of a town, one of them was going to kill the man. Derek had already offered to do the deed several times since the other man had arrived. John himself had mentioned on several of their Pack nights and at dinner at his own house that he would be more than willing to shoot the man.

Peter and Chris had also allowed that they could insure that the body of one Agent Rafe McCall would never be found. John wasn't going to say anything but between the Hunter and the Doctor he totally believed them when they said they could disappear a body.

Parrish brought the mail in and dropped it in his inbox but held a rather fat manila envelope out to the Sheriff. It had the FBI seal in the upper right corner. John opened the envelope quickly and proceeded to read over the contents quickly. Before his deputy leaves, John gives him a copy of the report he sent in to McCall's superiors and asks the other man to take it to Agent McCall and then adds rather pointedly. "You go to lunch after that Deputy."

The sharp-eyed deputy simply nods his head and leaves the office quickly. The Sheriff has moved on to other mail and had sent his other deputies out on patrol. So when McCall came storming into his office an hour and a half later, John is more than ready for him. "This report is unacceptable. We're still investigating."

"What's left to investigate?" the Sheriff asks seriously.

McCall composes himself and then replies with an insight he's never shown before explains a bit sharply, "The investigation isn't complete. There are discrepancies in the timeline. Where is the body? Even if the bomber did blow himself up there should still be remains somewhere."

The Sheriff looks up from the piece of mail he has been reading and responds seriously, "I agree that there may be remains in the river. _May be ." _he reiterates and then continues, "This is a very small town with a limited sheriffs department. We have no divers, no dogs either for search and rescue or cadaver recovery. A limited number of deputies who I'm not going to cull from in order to go chase after charred bits of flesh or bone fragments in a river."

"A river that is a Class III or IV depending on which section of rapids you're discussing. It also goes through five more counties before getting to the ocean, not to mention trenches for irrigation and streams, creeks and other offshoots. You want to investigate, go for it. My jurisdiction stops at the county line, as it is I have two of my people checking the river edges for possible evidence. I have others collecting further witness statements in the field. Once that's completed the Beacon Hills Sheriffs Department will file its reports and will wash its hands of this case once and for all." John said as he went back to reading his letter.

"The investigation and my review of you isn't over yet, Stilinski. You investigate and follow up what I tell you to, and I'm telling you this investigation isn't over yet." McCall shouted.

"Yes it is," John said calmly as he set the letter down and handed the other man the contents of the manila envelope he had received in the mail today while explaining, "It seems the heads of the CBI and FBI are satisfied that we got our man, or rather that he got himself. They are willing to accept the determination that our bomber was the mass murderer. Also that when he blew himself up, that closed our case." He said as he moved around to sit on the edge of his desk and study the man that he used to call friend but now barely recognized.

"You went behind my back?" the other man asked incensed.

"More like over your head," the sheriff replied placidly. "I may not have 100% conviction rate and yes we do have more than our fair share of weird cases and odd things happening but we get the job done. Sometimes with the help of the good citizens of this town, sometimes through hard work and clever insight and sometimes just through sheer, dumb luck."

"Luck?" Rafe scoffed.

"Yes, luck. If it helps to get a dangerous crook off the street, or saving some kid from getting hurt. I'll take luck any day of the week."

The Sheriff stood to his full height, "Now I believe it says somewhere in there that you have been recalled and that your services are no longer required. Thanks for visiting Rafe." the older man said as he held out his hand to the other in a pleasant gesture of farewell.

The agent was practically apoplectic, and he refused to take the other mans hand but as he turned to leave the Sheriff calls out in a friendly tone. "Rafe, a little fatherly advice. Say goodbye to your son this time before you leave. Maybe apologize for knocking him down the stairs."

"Even if it was an accident, taking responsibility for your actions might just get you back in some ones good graces." the Sheriff concludes his friendly tone never changing.

Rafe slams the door to the office as he goes back to his tiny office.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Although McCall is for all intents and purposes now banned from the hospital, the Argent-Hale family, and all of their teenaged friends including Stiles. There is still the dreaded paperwork and the collecting of evidence to be completed. The pieces and parts of the bombs, fingerprints (there are none), DNA ( there is none) and the remains of the bomber. Which they also still hadn't found but there is also no evidence that whoever it was had survived the explosion in the river.

Now that Stilinski had, well not jumped the gun but filled out the report and sent in his version of events and Rafe's superiors had signed off on it. The agent was playing catch-up. He hated feeling as if the town had secrets and he still hadn't found them all out …yet.

Then the agent discovered that Asher Oded had disarmed two of the devices and accused him of tampering with evidence. Then he realized that Oded was a naturalized American citizen and not only accused him of being a foreign spy but also a terrorist and claimed he was actually the bomber himself. "Prove it."

Although McCall kept interrogating the reporter for several hours. He couldn't find any proof or evidence for his accusations. When the interrogation was interrupted by one of McCall's agents who informed him that a Melissa McCall was here. Rafe said to tell her he would be with her in a few minutes. The agent whose name escaped him but who was obviously rather gleeful as they replied, "Oh she doesn't want to see you, she wants to speak to Mr. Oded."

McCall wormed past the other agent and barreled back down the hall to the reception area to find his former wife standing at the reception desk. He barely waited till they were standing in the broom closet they called an office that he had been using before he said, "Okay, how well do you know this guy? What do you know about him?" Rafe spoke fast as though to curb questions of his thought process. He continued, "Do you know we're arresting him on suspicion of terrorism. Did you know he was a foreign national?"

The agent would have continued except his former wife shook her arm rather vigorously, making him aware that he had been holding her arm in a rather painfully intense grip. "First of all," the woman shouted in his face and yes that was definitely shouting coming from his formerly meek as a church mouse wife.

"Don't you ever grab me and man-handle me like that again, or I'll have you up on charges. Second after twelve years without a word, you don't get to ask me anything at all about my relationships. You also don't get to ask Scott anything, at all period." She shouted so loud he was pretty sure the rather thin door didn't provide much privacy for the conversation they were currently having. Or rather the one his wife was having.

Her tirade continued, "You also don't accuse someone like Asher Oded of domestic terrorism. One he is a naturalized American citizen, not a foreign national, two as a naturalized American he has all the civil liberties that other Americans have. Including a lawyer, you repressive toad."

Rafe thought, "Oh yeah she's spitting mad now," as the name calling had started. The normally nurturing woman continued her rant. Reminding the agent that Oded had been the one to disarm two of the bombs before they had detonated saving dozens if not hundreds of lives and the entire town from being plunged into chaos. Then she reminded her husband of something that had slipped his mind, the "suspect" was a reporter. McCall face-palmed.

It took him a few seconds to realize that his wife had left his broom closet of an office and was headed down the hall where the suspect was sitting in an interrogation room waiting. He watched as several deputies and his own agents jumped to get out of Melissa's way. Which confirmed his theory that everyone or nearly everyone in the sheriff's department had heard their argument. Rafe was trying to catch up when he saw her open the door to the room and call the man's name.

Oded was up and beside her in only a few seconds. Whispering to the other woman soothingly and once again Rafe found himself wondering about their relationship. One look at his ex-wife's face had the agent's jaw clamping more firmly shut as she hissed at him, "Stay away from us, don't call, don't visit don't' even look in our direction of town."

"It's my house too." he replied foolishly.

"Actually it stopped being your house three years ago when I sent you the paperwork to transfer the title and you sent it back signed. Since you left, you haven't helped pay for anything in the house, the bills, the mortgage or the property taxes. So no, not in any way is that your house," Melissa snarled at her former husband. "Now if you'll excuse us Agent McCall, this man owes me a date." She said, before taking the other man by the arm and leading him past McCall. Oded was looking rather bemusedly between the two but followed along where Melissa led.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Rafe eventually does end up going to see Scott later that afternoon and arrives in time to see his ex-wife and Asher Oded pulling away from the house presumably to go on a date. The thought does cause some bittersweet feelings but he is learning to move on from these feelings and only hopes that his son is still home.

He heads up to the front door and as he goes to knock, is startled into nearly falling over when his son opens the door before he can actually knock. The expression on his face is hostile and Rafe's stomach sinks as he realizes he's probably ten years too late for this conversation but he carries on. "May I come in?"

"I don't think mom would like that," Scott replies without inflection.

Rafe mentally agrees but says, "Okay then we can discuss it out here," he indicates the porch and his son simply nods his head. Pulling the door closed securely behind him as he heads over to the rattan furniture and carefully takes a seat.

"I'm going to be heading out soon. The investigation is coming to a close and it's mostly just paperwork to get done, but I wanted to come and talk to you before I left." McCall explained as he too gingerly sat on the porch chair beside his son.

"About what?" the teen asked with a furrowed brow.

Rafe swallowed and looked down shamed before he admitted, "About why I left."

"Mom already told me," Scott said dismissively.

"What did she tell you?" Rafe asked sincerely curious.

The boy actually flinched and nervously rubbed his jaw. He finally said, "You and she were having an argument, about your work and I got in the way and got knocked down the stairs."

"Yes, there was an accident and you did get knocked down the stairs." Rafe agreed. "Believe me, hurting you in any way was the last thing I ever wanted to do. Your mom was protecting both of us though. The argument wasn't about work, it was about my drinking."

"I had come home drunk for the hundredth time and she was putting her foot down. I stepped back because I was very drunk at the time and trying to stay on my feet and apparently I bumped into you and you went down the stairs. She told me it was my fault, obviously. She also told me to get out and never come back. It took me six months of therapy to get clean and sober and it's still a challenge every single day."

"By the time I got dried out, we were divorced and she had full custody. I didn't know how much you would remember of that night and the truth was I was embarrassed and a little afraid that you would hate me so I didn't visit for a while and your mom thought that was best." Rafe drew in a deep shuddery breath before continuing, "When I did work up the courage to see you, your mother wasn't having it."

Seeing Scott start to protest, Rafe held up his hands and explained, "I don't blame her not really, protective maternal instincts and all. I get that. I just wish we hadn't missed as much time as we have. You're practically a man now. I just…" and Scott noticed that the older mans eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

He pulls his father into his arms and they hug. Its awkward and a little stiff but eventually they grow comfortable and there is a little back slapping and some admissions of loving each other before they part, then Rafe turns as he is leaving and says, "I'm glad that we could see each other before I leave."

"Oh and your mom didn't want anything from me including my money. So I saved what I would have sent you in child support and its in a trust so that when you go to school, college, technical school whatever, you'll have the money and plenty of it. See you later son." he said as he headed to his unmarked but still obviously government issue car.

Scott had to admit this was probably the best visit he had ever had with his dad. Wait until he told his mom.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Melissa and Asher were out on another date. They were hiking through the woods, not the Preserve, and the reporter was carrying a cooler full of goodies.

It started when Melissa had gotten home from the Pack resolving their latest issue. Explosions, the retrieval of Allison and Malia and all the rest. She had come in to discover her son and Asher in her kitchen having a discussion about something. She still didn't know what because they had clammed up the minute she had come in.

Scott had said they needed to go on an adult date without him playing chaperone. She hadn't even known her son knew what a chaperone was, or that Melissa had been using him in that capacity. While the men had made a meal for the pair to take, she had been advised to take a shower to revive and refresh herself and to change her clothes into 'something more comfortable'. "Not sexual, just comfortable." Oded had explained cheerfully.

Scott's face had screwed up in an absolutely revolted. "Dude that's my mom. I mean I know eventually at some distant level that she has had sex, obviously.

I just don't want to think about it, and I definitely don't want to imagine it. Eww man, just eww."

The expression on the reporters face was priceless shock followed closely by full-blown laughter. While Scott continued to bear the put upon expression of a teenaged son. She had laughed all the way upstairs and even a few times while she was in the shower.

They found a rocky bank near a stream that had swelled thanks in part to the recent rains. It was a beautiful location and they had enjoyed cold chicken and some salad. Now they were cuddling on the warm blanket they were sitting on.

The pair have been doing some heavy kissing, not intense so much as prolonged that has evolved into intense feelings of desire.

Oded finally says a little breathlessly, "I want to make love to you, Melissa. But while this is a gorgeous place, I don't want to take you on the ground. I also think considering your ex-husband was just here, this probably isn't the best time to be considering this. I just wanted you to know that I do want to progress to a more intense and involved stage in our relationship." He looked a little pained as he asked, "I'm not saying this right am I?"

"You're saying it just fine and I want the same thing but as I've said before, you have to understand. Scott is always going to be first and foremost in my mind when making any decisions about this or any other type of relationship."

"I do understand that and I love Scott. He's a great kid and so are his friends. I'm looking forward to meeting more of them but before we get into that, there's something I need to tell you…about myself."


	67. Chapter 67

**A/N~ As before there is an M-rated section to the first part of this chapter that will be posted a little later, probably the beginning of next week. If you are under the age of 17. Also I have started posting updated and revised chapters to hopefully eliminate some continuity issues and correct a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. The first ten were reposted earlier this week. Let me know what you think. ~A**

**Chapter 64**

**Several weeks later: **Allison and Malia have been released from the hospital. They are still pretty much confined to home of course due to the rampant over protectiveness of their fathers. Not that it matters of course, everyone in the Pack have visited at least once a day since they were released. They have even begun having the Pack meetings at the Argent-Hale household. The two fathers have hired Derek to design them a home that is new for all of them to help get rid of bad memories. It will have a very secure small warehouse in the back converted into storage, greenhouse and workshop space for Chris. A separate entrance for Peter's office if he ever decides to start working from home.

As it is right now, they are using Peter's place which is a bit of a tight squeeze but large enough for the girls to have company of the werewolf pack variety. Aiden who confessed to being something of a player is being surprisingly attentive to the were-coyote who has taken his heart. He makes sure that she gets plenty of time outdoors and the pair can often be found doing their math homework together.

Danny and Ethan are also frequently there what with the young Hawaiian being chosen to bring the two girls the class work they were missing while being homebound. Ethan affectionately harassed his older brother with quips about the lot of them being like the blind leading the blind where math is concerned, well except for Danny. The lacrosse goalie decides to officially tutor the group when the twins sniping nearly comes to blows on more than one occasion.

Allison has become snippy and irritable because everyone from her parents, her sister, her Pack mates, and even her boyfriend are treating hr like a cracked porcelain doll. Stiles has finally had enough when Allison orders all of the Pack downstairs after they all refused, because of Issac and Peter's demands, to help the huntress out to the yard to enjoy the sunshine.

With a little magical enhancement Stiles takes the ear of the curly haired werewolf and drags him out onto the patio. After Allison has practically shouted them out of the room and threatens to throw all of them out of the house. Even from the patio the duo could hear the brunettes muttered rant from upstairs. The blond actually flinched when he heard the crash of something breakable hitting the bedroom wall.

"Alright you bumbling idiot, as your unofficial Pack mom. It is painfully obvious to me that you need advice cause you are making an absolute fool of yourself. Allison Argent is a romantic type of girl but she doesn't suffer fools lightly." he said all of this before he even released his hold on Issac's ear.

"Allison Argent is a warrior. Lest you forget that, just remember how many times she put you on your ass when the two of you sparred before all of this Nogitsune business started. You do remember that don't you Issac? Nine times out of ten it was her and the one other time you fought to a draw." Then to make sure to drive the humiliating memory home the Spark added sotto voice, "Just so you know it's also my opinion that she let you fight to a draw that one time out of ten so you wouldn't be completely humiliated."

When the hurt puppy expression slid across the tall teens face Stiles knew he had his attention, Stiles continued, "My point is Allison is not a china doll, the sooner you remember that and treat her accordingly the more likely your relationship will survive this little set back. You understand me don't you?" Stiles asked seriously. Issac had agreed and started plotting.

A couple of days later, he ends up taking his girlfriend to her doctors appointment and waits outside for the doctor to finish the appointment and after waylaying the doctor asks a few pointed question. The physician was a little embarrassed by Issac's blatant candor but answered the questions. He finished with the advise that Allison would probably know best what she could handle in the form of physical activity.

Something her fathers were still having trouble understanding. After Alli had clonked the werewolf with a jar full of coins because he blew a gasket over Allison being out of bed doing her homework at the desk in her room. He had wisely chosen to hand over her medical care to another physician. Well aware that his daughter always kept a vial of wolves bane on her and wasn't afraid to use it. Since the homework incident Peter and Allison were still on the outs for the moment and Chris was out of town on business, which is how Issac had ended up taking Allison to her appointment. Glad beyond measure that it wasn't the very intimidating Beta who he's had to question about exactly how much Allison could do without hurting herself.

Allison is shaken out of bed the next morning by her sister and Lydia. The pair ignore all of the brunettes questions but are arguing back and forth between them about practically every article of clothing. From undergarments (black and lacey), to jeans (lightweight and non-distressed).

Malia and Lydia had the biggest fights over the boots, Lydia wanted sexy and high-heeled, Malia argued that she was going to the woods, not a dance club, hiking boots won. Lydia wanted a pretty sweater, again Malia reminded the strawberry blond, woods, with plants that reach out and grab and pull stuff like this and gets hot or cold on a whim. Layers, were chosen a lacy camisole per Lydia, a flannel shirt per Malia and a leather jacket per Allison. It was pretty much the only thing the poor girl got to choose that morning.

Issac is riding a four wheeler when he picks her up at her front door. He hands her a back pack and takes her bow and quiver from Lydia, which her then bungee cords to the handy frame before giving a little salute to his co-conspirators. The little ATV heads off into the woods with a shriek of laughter from the huntress and a wild grin from the blond werewolf.

About a half an hour later, they stop at the edge of a clearing, there are a few wildflowers that have managed to survive the summer heat. The teen walks through the field touching but not picking the flowers as she walks past releasing a slight amount of fragrance into the air. Issac spreads a blanket out in the shade of the trees at the edge of the clearing. When everything is arranged to his satisfaction he removes his hoodie and tosses it onto the ATV and takes Allison's bow and quiver out to her as she is exploring the open area.

"So how do you feel?" Issac asked leadingly.

Allison gave him a grin, and said, "Fantastic, why?"

"We're going to play a game. You're the huntress, obviously," he said as he handed her weapon of choice, "I'm the prey. Any questions?" The look of horror on Allison's face made him aware that he might not have thought this through as thoroughly as he should have. "I'm not afraid of you," he added as he held her fingers closed around the bow. "You know the expression you need to get back on the horse. Well in your case you need to get your warrior girl on."

At her look of disgust mixed with amusement, Issac realized he really wasn't good at the whole talking thing and he was going to have to work on that to keep the beautiful brunette standing before him. "Ok obviously I'm not saying this right at all, but I'm trying to tell you that I want you to track me, and try to take me down. Lydia made special tips for the arrows, she said to think of them as rubber bullets."

Allison took one of the arrows out of the quiver and examined the tip as Issac continued, " As added incentive, you win, you get to do whatever you want to me he said as he towed off his shoes and slipped out of his jeans to reveal running shorts and after he removed his tank top, a bare torso and lower legs. He left his feet bare before he asked, "You ready?"

"No not really. Are you sure about this?" the athletic girl asked nervously.

"Hey, I have faith in both of us, you won't hurt me. Besides you've still got to catch me first."

A little smirk appeared on her face as she said, "That sounded like a challenge, Mr. Lahey."

"Good, it was supposed to." he said before running off into the woods.

"Hey," she said running after him but the werewolf used his speed to advantage and by the time she had run into the woods he was long gone.

After playing cat and mouse with the Beta werewolf for what seemed like an hour. Allison manages to lure the werewolf into a trap. A tripwire caught the fast moving Issac unawares and he went sliding along the ground for several feet before rolling to a stop in front of the huntress.

Allison found herself a lot more excited than she had imagined with the young werewolf kneeling in front of her. He gave her one of his lopsided grins and said, "So do I get a reprieve until we get back to our picnic or did you want to start here?"

Allison was very tempted but she also found that she was hungry and replied, "I think I worked up an appetite so maybe after lunch.

"Good idea I have a feeling we're both going to need our strength," and with that the teen was up and had grabbed her bow and offered his arm. Instead of taking it the huntress tweaked his nose and laughed a little as they walked toward their makeshift picnic area.

The heat in the air, showed by the perspiration that trickled down the blond werewolf's spine, which he worked to wipe away with his t-shirt quickly. He pulled out the food and arranged it on the blanket as if he were serving it in a fine restaurant on a heavy linen tablecloth, served on the finest china and solid silverware. They ate their meal with a quiet, teasing conversation.

To say what came after was hot would be putting steam to shame. Of course making love in the woods had its perils and having your girlfriends father have to treat you both for poison ivy in all sorts of embarrassing places, didn't bare mentioning or even thinking about as far as Issac is concerned

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mary stared at the front of the hotel for several minutes before giving herself a shake and headed for the door of the same hotel room she had stayed in when she had first arrived in Beacon Hills. There was a word for that. She just wasn't sure if that word should be serendipity or irony.

She rapped her knuckles on the door to the room then waits for several minutes. The truth was she didn't really want to be here in the first place. She was just tired of avoiding the other three, plus it made her feel like a coward. She was about to leave, thinking she had missed the trio. Mary was already planning when the next time she would try to talk to them was, when a very tousled looking J.J. opened the door flinching at the bright morning sunlight.

"Mary?" and there was no mistaking that tone in the werewolves already husky tones.

The older magic user removed her metal rimmed glasses she had taken to wearing and pinched the bridge of her nose wearily, as she seriously considered once again leaving and coming back later. With a sigh she asked in a toneless voice, "How much J.J.?"

The werewolf pulled his dreads back and looked at the mage in a slightly guilty way as he said, "A half cup to a quart."

The mage cringed before walking pas the werewolf into the hotel room, while saying, "Really J.J.? That much you won't have to worry about the hunters. You'll do all the work for them. Have you guys even thought about learning a lesson from the past few years?"

Rhys was still asleep spread eagled over one of the beds still in his briefs on top of the bed. Snoring, loudly. While her husband was trying hastily to wrap a towel around his hips as he headed to the bathroom with what looked suspiciously like the younger Alpha's board shorts in one hand. He looked up at the older woman as she came into the room. Deer in the headlights didn't even cover the man's expression as he caught sight of her, his bare bottom exposed

Mary lowered her face to one hand and shook her head as he ducked into the bathroom. She heard the young werewolf actually chuckle behind her. Turning around to face J.J. she tilted her head slightly, to give the warrior a questioning look that reminded the other who the Alpha Mate was and how she had achieved the respect that was her due. "Sorry, Mary." he said contritely. At just that moment Rhys gave a particularly loud and stetorous snore.

Mary glared over at the sleeping man for a moment and then with a quick look around, she reached over and grabbed the mostly melted ice bucket and dumped it over the older werewolves head and face. The werewolf exploded out of the bed and turned to face the pair. He straightened to an almost military stance as he recognized the older woman in the room. The move was so fast Mary was sure she heard some of his bones crack with the force of it.

Mary went over and turned the chair to face her former Pack members. With no other indication from her the two men who were in the room started searching for their clothes when the youngest Alpha made his second round of searching the room. Mary indicated with a tilt of her head the bathroom where Lane was still hiding. J.J. went over and knocked on the door politely. When there was no response the werewolf shook his dreadlocked head and knocked again as he said, "Hey man, she's waiting and you have my shorts?"

Something was muttered behind the door that Mary couldn't understand but apparently J.J. could. She saw his eyes flash red and with visions of destruction of private property and potentially having to sew up two cranky Alphas floating around in her head. The Sparks eyes flashed black as she stood up, went to the door and with a flick of her fingers the bathroom door was unlocked. Mary reached into the bathroom and stole the garment from her naked husbands nerveless fingers before adding in a cool tone, "Stop being a chicken shit and get out here Lane."

When he finally makes an appearance the Alpha is dressed in an old pair of sweats and nothing else. Mary finds herself uncomfortably aware of just how well the sweats mold Lane's delectable buttocks. Fighting hard to regain her righteous indignation and anger, the Spark advises the trio, "You all need to prove yourselves to me and the other Pack members before we'll agree to become part of the Pack again."

"Actually," she amends, "I can't really say that. The others are still Pack you sort of removed yourselves from us. I removed myself because I knew you would try to track us down and I thought I would be the easiest to find. I was supposed to be the distraction, apparently it didn't work out that way.

"So, I'm not going to promise they'll come back even if you do convince me to." The trio of werewolves all nod in understanding. Although the men all know or at least are almost certain that the older woman returning will influence the others decision.

"So how do we prove ourselves?" Lane asked.

"That's up to you," Mary says with a casual shrug, a little fire enters her voice when she sees the Alpha give an affectionate smile. "Just so you know Lane Cassidy, me returning to the Pack, does not mean I will be coming back to you. That is another matter entirely, and one I'm still not certain will ever happen. Guess you have to prove yourself to me as well and separately from the others."

"I can do that." Lane said determinedly, "I will do that." he said a little fire in his own eyes, and not all of it was the red of an Alpha werewolf.

"We'll see." Mary said as she studied the trio for a few minutes before her eyes settled back on the man, the Alpha with a heavy gaze.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Asher Oded is sitting on top of the picnic table his feet planted firmly on the bench. His elbows are on his knees and his hands are fisted together, his dark eyes are pensive and won't meet Mellissa's to say the Pack elder is nervous to hear what the reporter has to say is an understatement.

"Ashe tell me, whatever it is I will understand." the nurse is being honest even if it was something like an ex-wife or even a current wife. Although she was honest enough to admit that would be harder and probably end the relationship.

"My name is Asheris al Oded, I am or was a Spark and the second in command of the Medusi. The army of my people. We were the protectors of my people and we were undefeated, an impressive thing when you considered we had the mortal enemies of Egypt on one side of our small land and the Hittites on the other."

"Ok wait, hold on, the Egyptians I know, but the Hittites have not been a nation in centuries." the woman said her voice trailing off into nothing as she studied the other man, "Ashe?"

"They are coming. It is harder for them to travel in their current form. My Spark helps me stay more human, strange that the thing that made me so strange when we were all human is now making me more human than the rest of the warriors of my tribe." the man finally looked up at her and she nearly screamed. His face was the same but his eyes were blacked out with an almost cat like slit of fiery gold in he center.

He didn't move toward her or make any moves at all as he tried to reassure her. "You were a total surprise. It has literally been centuries since I felt anything and there you were."

"You were like a fire Mellissa. On the one hand you warmed me when all I had felt was the cold of deaths embrace and on the other hand you were like a fire that burned through me cleansing all of my past sins away." he continued to confess, not flinching from her gaze as he did so, "I am the only one of my Pack who would be able to get past the Sparks wards. Not so much because I am a Spark myself but because I actually mean no harm. The general sent me here to spy on the Pack."

He sighed as he said, "I was supposed to feed he and the rest of the Medusi information on the Pack, there numbers and make-up, their weaknesses. Figure out which was the Reaper and how to get to them. I was the only one who could because I was the only one who stood a chance of getting close enough."

"Because you mean no harm?" Mellissa said doubtfully.

"Exactly," the man she was beginning to love said vehemently, before adding, "Unfortunately my General Tui ad the rest of the Medusi are not so… well-intentioned." He seemed lost in thought for several minutes as Mellissa processed all of this information. _It was an awful lot to process. _

"I'm sorry," he said looking at her seriously, he golden pupils of his eyes widening as though to emphasize his sincerity. "I really am. I should have told you this sooner all of you. I know I promised you a meal but is it alright if we go now and warn the others."

Melissa found she couldn't really speak to answer. She felt as if her heart were lodged in her throat but she did at least manage to nod her head in response.

Asher apologized again, "I'm sorry," he said as he guided her back to the car, "for all of this."

He said as he opened her door and helped her into the car. When her hands fumbled over fastening the seatbelt because her entire body felt a little cold and numb, he helped her with the device before adding. "No, not for all of it. It may be selfish but I will never feel sorry for what I feel for you. I will understand if you can no longer feel the same but I will never regret it."

He came around and got in the drivers side and headed off toward the Argent Hale residence. Mellissa realized what it meant that he knew they had been meeting there since Malia and Allison had been released from the hospital. That he had been watching them and keeping track of their comings and goings.

Asher defers to Melissa to lead the way into the home of two of the Pack Elders. When Stiles stands and pulls the nurse behind him to face Asher. The Medusi shaman and Spark raises his open palms to show he meant no harm. A useless gesture where Spark wee concerned they both knew but Stiles gave the older man the benefit of the doubt but also warned him.

"I know who you are now," the Alpha Mate told him, "I knew as soon as you crossed the threshold. You're one of them, the undead were-Anubi."

Asher cringed at the name but nodded his acceptance of the description, "Yes, but I'm also the one who has been sending you the dreams. Trying to warn you about the danger that is coming."


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N~ The story of the were-Anubi and a few other things explained. Please read, enjoy and review. Let me know what you think. ~A**

**Chapter 65**

Asher was an excellent story teller and wove pictures with his words as he spoke. "My tribe and I were our own independent nation, we were a buffer between the Egyptians and the Hittites. Our chieftain was named Minais and he would often negotiate between the Egyptians and the Hittites because he was trusted and respected by both. He helped keep the peace for years between the two countries."

"On one of his trips to Egypt, he met and fell in love with a priestess of Anubis. Her name was Natiri. The priestess was allowed to choose a lover, or even a mate, because she had certain talents which were powerful and desired by the followers of Anubis. So they hoped they would be carried on through her line. Minais pursued her but in the end she did not chose him" Asher paused and met the eyes of everyone in the Pack as he said flatly. "Minais did not take it well."

"Although Minais was famous for keeping the peace, he and our tribe were respected and famous for being incredibly skilled warriors. I was our Spark, of course back then we were referred to as the Shamans usually. Against my advise, Minais attacked the temple of Anubis, an unheard of violation against the gods themselves."

"To a man all of the priests and servants of the temple were killed. The priestess Natiri who Minais purported to love was raped and defiled for not choosing him. He had then killed her and cut out her tongue." Asher continued and his eyes were distant and blank as he remembered the past. "Minais then did the same to all the others in the temple so that they could not tell the gods what he had done."

"One young boy managed to escape this fate, he had been severely wounded but managed to crawl away and hide before Minais cut out all of their tongues. He could not escape death however." Unbeknownst to him Asher's eyes began to glow orange as he continued with his tale, "After he had judged the boys heart and heard his tale. Anubis had suddenly appeared in the middle of the village with an army of the undead. The God of Death killed what he perceived as the innocents, the women and children, with quick efficiency. Giving them a clean death."

"All of the adult males though were cursed to be part of Anubis' army, and wander the world, as more spirit than flesh and blood, to be called to the God of Death when he required them. I alone because of being a Spark am able to appear as normal most of the time." seeing Melissa's horrified expression he continued wanting to be honest about all of it now that he was speaking. He didn't stop merely continued on to explain the rest.

"Even though I had refused to participate in the attack on the temple, I was also so cursed." the reporter said flatly.

He can't pretend the expressions of suspicion including the one that Melissa is now wearing don't bother him, because they do. He pulls up his well rehearsed expression of indifferent stoicism.

Everyone is startled when it's Jackson who actually leaps to the older mans defense, "You do remember this is the man who disarmed two of the bombs that nearly destroyed this town. He risked his own life to do that too. Obviously they live a really long time, but I'd imagine a bomb will do to them what it does to everybody else. Especially when it's pretty much sitting right there in front of you."

Asher felt compelled to respond, "Actually as far as I know we can't be killed."

"Trying to help you out here dude." Jackson hissed sotto voice, "And you're not helping." He deliberately raises his voice into an almost musical lilt at the end.

Melissa actually laughs at the almost incredulous expression on Oded's face. She knew he couldn't understand why someone in the Pack would actually try to help him. Stiles had a crooked smile on his face as he said, "Well, we have a Banshee, a were-coyote, a former Nogitsune/huntress, a kitsune, several werewolves, a hunter, a hacker, a coupe of Sparks and a few others. We might as well add a…what do you call yourselves anyway?"

"We call ourselves were-Anubi," Asher said in a dumbfounded tone.

"Really?" Stiles asked with a raised brow. At the nod he merely shrugs and says, "Ok if that's what you're going with, a were-Anubus."

With that the Pack and the were-Anubus' input, they discuss and plan what they need to do to prepare. To defend Lydia against the were-Anubites when they come for the Reaper.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Several weeks later: **Talia has summoned the Beacon Hills Pack to Hale House. Actually summoned isn't the right word. She very respectfully requested the attendance of the entire Pack on the night of the New Moon.

Derek and his mate are discussing the invitation privately between them before putting it before the Pack. Derek is pacing in front of the full windows of the Loft. While he loved the space, he wanted the Pack House to be completed, unfortunately the unseasonable rain they had been receiving lately had delayed finishing the structure and work had slowed to a crawl.

"Don't you think if she wanted to do us harm she wouldn't be so bold as to have us come to the Pack House?" Stiles finally asked when the conversation stalled.

"I don't know." the Alpha said finally, "I just don't like it."

"And I get that, I really do," the Spark said as he came around the table and caught the Alpha's bearded face in both hands, "But honestly we have no really good reason not to go, Derek."

Sighing the Alpha nods as he slowly relaxes at the touch of his mate. "Ok, yeah you're right," he whispers with a touch of his lips to his mates forehead. "Ok, we'll send them our acceptance of the invitation and tell the others in a bit." He pulls the younger man closer and repeats, "In a bit, not right now." as he lowers his head to Stiles shoulder.

As soon as they climb out of their vehicles, the Pack aligns themselves appropriately to their Alpha. Stiles oddly enough sticks to his Alpha like glue instead of fidgeting around like usual and the rest of the Pack. Jackson with Cora is to the left of Stiles. Laura is aligned behind and between her brother and Jackson with the Sheriff in a short sleeve button up and jeans acting as her escort for the evening.

Boyd and Erica were to Derek's right, with Issac to the right of them escorting Allison. Scott and Kira were behind and between them. Mary was unescorted, and in the center of the Pack, not to be the best protected as she explained it but because in the center she could do the most protecting.

At the very rear were the twins Aiden with Malia on the left and Ethan and Danny on the right. Peter and Chris were on the outside right and Lydia and Parrish on the outside left.

Although to an outsider it would appear that the more vulnerable looking humans were in the center of the Pack. Everyone in the Pack knew they all could handle themselves and would protect each other, besides by this time they were the bigger Pack.

The invitation had declared this was going to be a barbecue/pot luck. So everyone of the couple had brought something. Peter and Chris brought several bottles of wine, no mountain ash, hemlock or wolves bane included, the physician assured one and all. The sheriff with Laura had brought baked beans with Little Smokees and other "yummy goodness" within, Stiles words.

Erica had brought a layered pudding dessert with nuts that had taken several hours to prepare and set up. While Boyd was helping Derek carry what looked to be an entire deer, although it was carefully wrapped. Lydia with Parrish helping was carrying several bottles of soda and on it went. All of them came bearing food and drink. It probably wasn't the wisest way to present themselves to a competing Pack, Stiles had a different opinion though.

Instead of empty handed and ready for a fight they wee showing that they were unafraid of their hosts and that they could provide for and protect whomever they deemed worthy. When Talia and her Pack boiled out of Hale house, the Alpha seemed to have a sheen of tears in her eyes for a split second. She directed her Pack members and Derek's Pack were soon divested of their food gifts.

All except Mary who explained her gift wasn't exactly food related and she was allowed to keep it. She then carried the pot back to what seemed t be the perimeter of the yard and began pacing around the perimeter swinging the small pot as she went. It reminded Stiles of a religious ceremony of sorts and although his sense of smell wasn't as strong as the werewolves, the smell was herby and resinous and seemed quite pleasant.

By the time the Pack had walked through the house to the back yard, Mary was back there as well and as hey watched she completed the circuit and returned to the campfire that had already been started with a large stack of wood beside it, as well as several logs that had been arranged around it like makeshift benches.

On the left of the campfire were several tables set up some for sitting and eating, some for holding copious amounts of food. On the right side was a food prep area and half a dozen huge grills. As soon as the Beacon Hills Pack arrived all activity stopped for a second in the yard as all eyes locked on them. Even the little Pack members were suddenly more interested in them than chasing each other around the yard.

They watched as Mary her ritual complete went to the fire and poured the remainder of the pots contents around the campfire. Instead of going out, the fire popped and snapped sending up showers of multi-colored sparks into the air. Stiles could swear he saw shapes in the Sparks and wished he could really register what it was he was seeing. The flood of more potent scent was actually quite pleasant and relaxing.

The item that Derek and Boyd were carrying was actually a pig, not a deer. A cheer went up when it was unwrapped and several of the Hale Pack members came up and slapped the Alpha on the back or thanked him for the contribution to the barbecue. It broke the ice and the conversation started about food and led to other things. The only incident that occurred was too cute to cause real trouble when three of the youngest Hale Pack members found Erica's dessert and were helping themselves.

As they were finishing the food and actually getting ready to sit down to dinner, it was Laura who drew everyone's attention to the fact that there were no bugs. Aiden walked to where the perimeter of the yard was holding one of his arms out in front of him. As soon as his arm went past where Mary had performed her ritual, his arm was suddenly literally covered in mosquitoes and flies. He shook it off and drew it back before grinning at the older woman and saying, "Magical insect repellent, way to go Mary."

Everyone enjoyed the food that evening and even enjoyed the company. The tension between the two Packs was eased a great deal. When the young pups were put down for their bedtime despite the many protests of not being tired at all. The members of both packs gravitated toward the camp fire, with a couple of chairs and benches being added to the logs that were already in place. A camp chair had been set up for Talia. She looked to her right for a minute or two and Derek knew that was where his father would usually sit.

"During the most recent full moon we were running, and almost literally ran into some fairies in the Preserve. They were…having a wake of sorts for one of their own who had chosen to fade." the Alpha began.

"The fairies offered us some wine, to join in their wake. They wanted to remember the good times with their fallen friend." Talia added as a look of irritation crossed her face, "What they neglected to mention, probably on purpose considering they're fairies, they gave us all wine of remembrance."

"The wine made the older members of the Pack who were there, remember the night of the fire." Talia looked at Stiles and then Mary as she spoke. Derek listened as his mother told how bravely his lover and Mary had saved all of them before disappearing back into the night.

As his mother spoke Stiles began to blush. His embarrassment went through the roof though, when at the end of her tale, Talia and the rest of her Pack stood up all at once and then the Alpha followed by her Pack knelt and bared their necks to the Sparks in a show of submission.

Derek seeming to know that his young mate was almost ready to bolt, came up behind him and took his shoulders in his hands. "It's a show of respect," Derek whispered in his ear.

"How do I get them to get back up?" Stiles asked self-consciously.

Derek whispered in his ear and Stiles stepped out of the security of his mate's hold to take his would-be mother-in-law's hand and helped her rise gracefully from the ground. She leaned forward and tilted the Spark's chin up to meet her eyes, "Never be embarrassed, Stiles. Especially not by a show of gratitude, which you richly deserve." She leaned forward and kissed the teen's forehead as well as very subtly scent marking the young man.

This seemed to release something in the rest of her Pack as suddenly the Beacon Hills Pack was surrounded and being scented and scent marked by the rest of the Hale Pack.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Mary woke from a sound sleep with her skin crawling and the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck were standing on end. She closed her eyes and tuned in to her mage sight. Quite a few werewolves were crossing into Beacon Hills across the magical boundary she had set. The older woman struggled to get out of bed and made her way to the other room she called her working room.

Sitting on a table beneath a window was a map of the county. Outlined on it in highlighter were the wards she and Stiles had worked so hard to erect. Also marked on it were the Hale House, the Loft, the sister House which was back on track now that the rain had eased up. The homes of all the Pack members, the School, Hospital and the Sheriff's station were also marked.

On the side of the map in a small ceramic bowl, were metal clippings in the shapes of diamonds. As she watched several of the metal fragments were climbing out of the bowl and made a line across the border from the east and were making their way across the map toward town.

Then Mary noticed something she hadn't noticed before. The hotel which she hadn't marked but that she knew the location of by heart now, had three metal diamonds located there. She had an idea who was coming, she just didn't know why or how. She was dressed and walking swiftly back toward the center of town within twenty minutes.

It took her only 15 minutes to reach the hotel and their visitors were already there. There standing in varying clusters outside of the door of the hotel room were Blu and her children as well as a few of the other females from their Pack. A few boys who ad been pre-teens at the time of the dissolution of the Pack were also there and grouped together.

Her children were there, the boys had both gone to Canada when there mother had warned them away. She called them boys but they were young men now, with their own mates and children. As soon as they saw her the two men came and pulled her into a hug. They explained brokenly, that the warnings had come from various sources through the grapevines of the supernatural that something was coming, something very bad.

Their father and the other two outcasts, despite the very early hour came out of the room. After they heard the noise of the arrivals and the affectionate greeting of the Alpha Mate, the meeting of the trio and their family was awkward at first, but Mary didn't begrudge any of them their reunions.

She now recognized as everyone was catching up with each other that they were going to need all of the help they could get. It may be a challenge but the former Alpha Mate knew she and Lane had to learn to get along even if they never actually reconciled they stood a better chance of surviving working together.


	69. Chapter 69

**A/N~ Because of the length of the following chapters I will be extending the release dates to every two weeks instead of every week. I think you'll see why. It will still be posted on Friday though, or at least as much as possible. Also although these next few chapters are in some ways closer to canon, they are still AU. Please keep that in mind. Also please be aware that I am still working on updating chapters and correcting some continuity errors along the way. Keep an eye on the Author Notes as I will be posing here what chapters are getting updated and when. Please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 66**

Stiles and Scott walk into the loft. They and the Hale siblings were supposed to be packing up the books and things from the Loft to transfer to the new Pack House which had finally been completed a couple of weeks previously.

The pair of teens were horrified to find the Loft trashed and Cora and Derek missing. The floor is littered in shell casings, there is blood splattered here and there and a few pools of blood as well. No sign of the Hale siblings and Stiles panics for a few seconds. Scott however starts searching the loft for the pair.

Stiles noticed some strange markings on the casings and reached down to pick one up and examine it. He carefully sniffed the casing and even without werewolf senses could detect the faint scent of wolves bane, it took him a moment to figure out what the image etched on the side of the casing was. A stylized skull in the Day of the Dead style.

He knew this had to have significance but not how, he was more concerned about Derek and Cora. It suddenly occurred to him that he was an idiot. While Scott was moving through the loft, Stiles looked inward. There glowing faintly was the mate bond between he and Derek and the Spark followed it back to find his mate.

Derek was hurting, the wound wasn't healing because of the wolves bane. The Alpha was in pain and in hiding. He didn't remember the den being this big, the last time he was here. Stiles could sense all of this but he couldn't actually see where his mate was at the moment.

"Where are you?" he thought, "Open your eyes for me." As if he heard him the werewolf opened his eyes and Stiles was staring at the inside of a cave. One he was familiar with because he had been working on it with the help of the forest for a while now. He rushed into the kitchen and pulled the first aid kit from under the sink before yelling, "Scott, I'll be right back!"

With that there was a flash of light that seemed to expand out from Stiles torso to cover his entire body and then suddenly snapped back down to nothing only to reveal Stiles wasn't there anymore. Scott came down the spiral staircase saying, "I can't find them anywhere man. Only more of these shell casings and this vaguely familiar scent and… and you're not here. Stiles! Stiles, where are you?"

**~XOX~**

Stiles was trying to figure out how they had gotten through the wards he had created those who meant harm particularly hunters weren't supposed to be able too. While he was in transit to the den he understood. A figure bright like him, a kind of Spark who wasn't Mary was moving very fast away from Beacon Hills toward the South. Stiles tagged him just before he became solid again in front of the former coyote den.

He could have materialized inside of the den, not knowing how his mate would react to the sudden appearance of someone right beside him. Especially considering his current wounded state had the Spark erring on the side of caution, he and his mate quite liked where all of his body parts were currently located, and he for one wanted to keep it that way.

Pushing love and concern into his mind were paramount as he crawled through the entrance of the den. Hoping that would push those scent markers to the fore for his mate who sat in his Beta form against one of the walls of the cave. Derek managed to smile although it looked more like a grimace, "What took you so long?" he hissed out painfully.

"Oh man look at this place and I just finished cleaning up?" he mocked back as he moved closer to the wounded Alpha's side. A chest wound and another to the side, probably the lung if the wheezing was any indication. The young man opened his magical first aid kit and began to rummage among the organized contents for what he needed.

He felt the sting of tears as he heard Derek struggle to whisper, "Sorry honey, I'll make it up to you later." He said as he waggled his bushy eyebrows at his mate suggestively.

Stiles ripped open the T-shirt his werewolf was wearing only to have the man make a very weak whooping noise. "Only you could make possibly dying seem sexy, Sour Wolf." he said in an exasperated, yet worried tone. "Now stop talking."

The werewolf actually complied which only made Stiles even more worried as he extracted an ampule of powdered asphodel and hellebore which he poured over the chest wound and then set it ablaze with mage fire. The muffled scream from his mate had Stiles struggling to both blink away the tears of sympathetic pain and hold his mate in place. He was almost grateful when the Alpha lost consciousness. He finished working on the older man while he was unconscious. Gently forcing the blood out of the pleural sac around he lungs before sealing it and the lung with his magic. He didn't try to heal the wounds completely himself, conserving his magic, content to let the werewolves own metabolism work to heal itself.

Guiltily he realized he had nearly forgotten about Cora. He turned to see if she was alright only to realize almost instantly the Beta wasn't next to her brother or anywhere in the den. His Pack connections weren't as strong as those to his mate naturally but they were fairly strong. He sent out a pulse along that web of light and discovered that Cora was unconscious and moving in the same direction as the other Spark, Cora was being taken South.

**~XOX~**

Scott's and the twins motorcycles are leading the way down a dusty, arid road. Derek's SUV and Stiles Jeep are bumping along behind him. The Spark is driving his Jeep but is venting his frustration to Lydia and Jackson for having to leave his still unconscious mate behind. "Trust me Stiles," Malia said, "He's in good hands with Mary, and we need you with us if this guy is a Spark like you and he took out Cora and Derek."

"See, that's the weird thing is he were strong enough to break my ward he should have been able to take them out without guns. Also if you were going to kidnap someone would you really leave a calling card like those casings behind?"

The Spark asked thinking aloud as he drove down the dirt track.

Jackson who had been regulated to the back seat by Lydia said harshly, "I don't care who or what he is, he took Cora, he's a meat bag."

Stiles grimaced before saying, "Jackson, I love where your head is at really, but dial it back a bit, yeah? Maybe a little less bloody Beta wolf and back into the hyper competitive lacrosse captain, okay"

As the Beta gave a barely perceptible nod and closed his eyes to rein in his aggression. Malia spoke up, "Dad says the name of the hunter clan is the Calaveras. They're supposed to have been hunting almost as long as the Argents," she sniffed, before saying proudly, "but only almost."

"Their current leader is an older woman by the name of Araya. She's tough, smart and dangerous. Dad wasn't happy we weren't going to wait for him to get back from his trip before we left to get Cora back." She looked over her shoulder at the SUV following them before saying in a lower tone, "The two of them were arguing really loud over the phone and daddy hung up on poppa. I've never heard them yell like that at each other."

Jackson looked over at the other girl and said kindly, "Don't worry about it. They were only yelling because they love each other and were worried about each other." he said before looking into the distance and saying, "It's only when they stop yelling you have to worry," he said and there was a sad, distance to his voice that had Stiles taking notice. The Spark made the mental note to talk to the Beta at a later time. Like after they had managed to get Cora back from the Calaveras.

Later that evening as he and Lydia are arguing over this possibly being the worst plan they had ever come up with Stiles is letting the running diatribe cover his mental awareness. He is being subtle about it. Remembering that the hunter who stole Cora was also a Spark, something unheard of as far as he was concerned. Sparks were supposed to be protect life and only do arm to protect their Pack or Clan with magic in a non-lethal fashion, something hunters rarely abided by.

The two of them were being observed. Stiles realized that almost immediately, as well as the disturbing fact that Cora was not in the town. His attachment to the younger Hale was of course no where close to her elder brother. He knew enough to recognize the glow of a supernatural among humans. Other than the other Spark there were no super naturals in this town, none.

That alone was it's own warning to Stiles. It meant the hunters in this town had eliminated them all or scared them away. Stiles had a feeling the first guess was the best. Which meant that these were very intolerant hunters, not that hunters were known for their tolerance.

The huge man in front of the nondescript building blocked the door and tried staring down the shorter pair. Stiles pulled out the card with the stylized skull on it. The bouncer indicated the inconspicuously located camera and Stiles held the card up to the camera.

Apparently whoever was on the other side of the camera, their interest had been piqued and the bruiser at the door, opened the door of them, releasing the sounds and smells of a bar and music blast out of the opened door. The armed man on the other side of the door waiting to escort them to whoever was waiting for them.

They were taken into a room that was basically made of concrete blocks and painted a dull beige. The office was occupied by a lame looking table used as a desk. The older woman behind the desk made Stiles think of someone's proud grandmother. He half expected her to pull the brag book with the photos of her children and grandkids. He tried not to let the older woman's appearance into a false sense of security.

The ensuing conversation started off easy enough. They offered money for the return of Cora. Fifty thousand dollars, to be precise. At this point Stiles just hoped they were holding the other girl somewhere outside of his range. Ok the snark may have been a little inappropriate but the woman's expression never changed and it was a little unnerving, and I thought I had a good poker face, the Spark thought.

When she threatened them, Stiles had to admit it was boringly predictable. Slowly a smile curled his lips, "What makes you think we came alone?"

"You have brought werewolves here, to my home?" she said incredulously of these children who think to challenge her.

"Worse we brought an Alpha," Stiles said with surprising calm. Despite what he and Lydia had argued about earlier he was secure in the success of their plan.

"Derek Hale is not here," the older woman said confidently.

"Who says he's our only Alpha?" Lydia said with her own tiny smile.

She begins speaking rapidly in Spanish into the walkie talkie on the desk. She was clearly not getting the responses she was expecting. Especially not when Scott's voice came on the air and said, "Stiles take ten off the table."

The Spark does as he's told, with a shrug. "Show these young ones how we take care of rodent problems," Araya says into the walkie talkie. Then looks up at the two young hunters in the room. "Take them."

Stiles pretended to struggle. Apparently the hunters took this personally and clubbed him over the head with a gun butt.

**~oOo~**

While Stiles is still recovering from being struck in the head, Scott, Kira and Lydia are pulled from the cage they have been secured in. Malia tried to fight back but the hunters threaten her friends if she doesn't cooperate.

Scott is being tortured, Araya asks him of all things, "Where is Kate Argent?"

"Kate is in prison for trying to kill the Hale family, and several humans," Scott replies confused. Araya ratchets up the power, or rather has Kira do it.

He endures the pain, and then asks, "How did you manage to get past the wards on the town?"

Araya doesn't answer but one of the other hunters in the room actually brags, "We have our own shaman, he got past your wards easily, and spied on you for several days. He knows Kate was there…" before he can say anything more Araya slaps him in the face and says something in Spanish that has the younger man looking very much as if he had been scolded by the older woman.

Araya looking annoyed confesses, "Yes, Kate Argent escaped from prison weeks ago. Apparently she managed to get herself bitten and yet she didn't become a werewolf but a were jaguar. She was drawn here or rather to la Iglesia as all of her kind are. We captured and brought her here to torture her for information. She managed to convince some of my younger ones that they had managed to kill her during the interrogation. They were disposing of the body when she killed all three of them. One of those killed was my granddaughter." Scott actually felt sorry for the older woman for a split second, before she started to torture him again.

She starts questioning him about the Hales questions which he ignores as he realizes what probably happened. The Calaveras didn't steal Cora, Kate did and took her to the town of La Iglesia for whatever reason. He is gasping by the time the last episode of electrocution is done. He looks up at her and his eyes bleed brilliant red as he says, "It's time."

Stiles used his power to open the door to the cell and he and Malia escape. Jackson and the Alpha twins break into the bar with Allison setting charges here and there. Danny hacks their security including the alarms and the gas device they used to incapacitate their friends before.

Malia and Stiles meet their friends outside of the room where they have been torturing Scott. Stiles blasts the door in but tells the others, Peter especially not to touch the hunters except to disarm them. Scott has already freed himself from the chair he was handcuffed to. Kira has freed Lydia with a concealed dagger which she is using to hold off the talkative hunter from before. The man is already sporting several shallow wounds where he has foolishly tried to stop the kitsune.

Stiles looked at the older woman and said, "Thank you for your cooperation." As he waited for the others to exit before adding, "Oh and please inform your shaman that we've changed the locks." The group exits out of a new opening that Allison created with some of the explosives. There waiting for them is the Hale SUV, Argents Hummer, their motorcycles and Stiles Jeep.

He literally kissed the Jeep and told it, "I missed you."

Lydia walks past him to get in the passenger side and says, "I'll remember to tell Derek you said that."

On an even more rutted road than before they head toward La Iglesia. There is no actual map to the site but Stiles scryed for it using Danny' computer which kind of freaked the hacker out. Especially when his computer began to show maps, and aerial photos without him inputting anything into the keyboard.

They use Argents Hummer to tear down a stone door that was used to seal one of the crypts housed in the ancient temple. There they find Cora tied up and covered in cobwebs. When Scott and Malia finally manage to get her out into the open in front of the headlights. Allison asks, "Is that Cora?"

Peter responds in a helpless tone, "In a manner of speaking,"

As the girl in question looks up with a pained expression on her pre-teen face.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Meanwhile back in Beacon Hills:** Kate feels her claws extend uncontrollably as she shifts. The gas station attendant had futilely been trying to talk her into going out for drinks with him. She tries to clamp down on her emotions in the shift but it's not working. Not at all. Her hand slashes out suddenly biting into the mans throat. Blood spraying every where, she watches dispassionately, as the man dies. "Well that sucks," she mutters. Her words lisping through her fangs.


	70. Chapter 70

**A/N~ Not going to say much this is already several thousand words worth. Enjoy folks. ~A**

**Chapter 67**

**Meanwhile back in Beacon Hills:** Kate feels her claws extend uncontrollably as she shifts. The gas station attendant had futilely been trying to talk her into going out for drinks with him. She tries to clamp down on her emotions in the shift but it's not working. Not at all. Her hand slashes out suddenly biting into the mans throat. Blood spraying every where, she watches dispassionately, as the man dies. "Well that sucks," she mutters. Her words lisping through her fangs.

**~Flashback Begins~**

Derek's lithe teenaged body is still lying in the hotel room bed. Kate meanwhile is getting redressed in her blue jeans and sweater. He is telling her about his childhood memories about the magical items he has seen his family use over the years as he has grown up.

"Then there's the triskele. It's incredible. I may get a tattoo of that when I get older." The older woman rolled her eyes at the banality of a werewolf getting a tattoo, although she did wonder how they kept the tattoos with their healing factors.

"What's a triskele?" she asked trying to feign interest, as she pulled her shirt on over her head.

"It's the symbol of our Pack, but we have a special one. Peter uses it to help Cora, Laura and me learn to control our shifts when we were younger. It's been used by our family for generations to teach us all control."

"Three things that are unchanging and never ending, the Alpha, Beta, and Omega. An Omega can become a Beta, a Beta can become an Alpha or fall to become an Omega, and an Alpha can revert to a Beta or become an Omega if he loses his Pack. But they will always be a werewolf as long as they live."

"Yeah, as long as they live," Kate said to herself as she began to put her earrings back on. The woman came over and kissed the boy on the mouth, deepening the kiss slightly. "So what does this triskele look like?"

**~Flashback Ends~**

Stiles, Scott and the others return from Mexico and split up. Scott and Jackson head to Dr. Deaton's with Cora. In the hopes the Hale Emissary would have some idea what had been done to the de-aged Cora.

Stiles in the meantime headed to Mary's house to see if there had been any change in his mate's condition.

The vet is baffled by the young girl's condition. He calls Laura to tell her they have found her sister but that she should come alone because of the state that Cora is in. The woman's voice comes over the speakerphone that she is on her way.

Cora hears her sister's voice from the next room, she demands, "I want to see my sister!"

When Deaton reassures her that, "Your sister is on her way."

Both Scott and Jackson notice that Cora's scent markers show her to be suspicious of the older man, he reminds them that Talia has never really trusted him, probably because he wasn't a true Druid. "It's no wonder her children would have the same doubts and suspicions."

The teens also note that while Cora is still untrusting of the vet, she does trust Jackson implicitly. She may not have met her mate at this age, but she still knows him on some level. Cora doesn't do something as bold as hold his hand but she does do her best to stay close to him.

The vet reassures the pair, "You two go home, take a shower, get some rest, I'm sure you're tired after your trip and Laura will be here shortly. We'll try to figure out a way to tell Talia and I'll try to find a way to reverse the process or at least find out how it might have been accomplished. The two young men agree and head out to the clinic's parking area.

The pair agree that they will go home, check in with the other Pack members and after a shower and possibly a nap return to the clinic to check on Jackson's mate.

**~O~**

Alan Deaton got busy after that, attending to his patients of the four legged variety. He was wondering where his on again off again paramour was when he headed into the surgical suite where Cora was being lodged, when something headed for his face.

Cora found her way out of the back of the clinic and headed on instinct to Hale House. She ran in the front door of Hale House, Laura and their mom were in the front hall yelling at each other. Needing the comfort she ran right into her mother's arms.

Talia Hale was in shock, as she stared at the face of her younger daughter, her much younger daughter now. Cora's eyes were filled with tears and fear. Talia hadn't seen Cora this frightened since the night of the fire. She looked at her and realized that this Cora was that age, the same age as the night of the fire.

Talia looked up at Laura and her daughter was looking back and said quietly, "This is what I was trying to tell you."

**~O~**

Although very reluctant Talia is finally convinced to let Jackson take Cora home with him. One he's surprisingly not well known for being a member of either Pack although technically he is a member of both. He's also Cora's mate, even if she doesn't really remember him as that, her soul does.

Kate follows the pair to Jackson's home. While he preparing them dinner, he is attacked by two Berserkers and Cora tries to help him. Kate convinces the young

Beta that the best way to help her friend is to help Kate. "Leave him alone!" she demands and that is the last thing Jackson hears before he is knocked unconscious by the Berserkers.

Stiles is talking to a now awakened Derek who is still very bruised. He explains "Kate kidnapped Cora, not sure how she got the drop on you and your sister in the first place. She took her down to a place called la Iglesia and somehow managed to de-age her."

"De-age what do you mean de-age?" Derek asked with obvious confusion even as he tried to adjust himself into a more comfortable position.

"As in less old than she was, she looks abut the same age as the night of the fire but I don't know how. Time travel I got, I can do that. This actually doing the whole fountain of youth thing, not so much." Stiles stands up and starts pacing in agitation. "At this point I'm fairly sure she somehow managed to sneak in with the Calaveras shaman, which sucks. I'm trying to figure a way to reset the wards to not only keep out everyone who intends harm, even the unarmed ones but to expel the ones who are already here. At this point though, the wards are all down thanks to the Calaveras mojo man."

"I thought Cora had managed to get out and that Kate would try to follow me." It's obvious to the Spark that his mate his blaming himself for his sisters current condition. He doesn't admit it but Stiles can feel through the mate bond that his lover is feeling very guilty about everything. Then Stiles gets a phone call.

**~O~**

Peter, Chris, Scott, Jackson, Kira, Allison, and Malia get together and decide to put a stop to Kate's plan whatever it is once and for all. They figure out after tracking Kate and Cora for a while that they are heading for the high school. Peter says, "I think I know where they're going" his brow is furrowed as he continues, "I just don't know how Kate would know about it." Then his brow clears for a second before another look of consternation crosses his face. "Aw hell," he growls as his face shifts to its Beta form and he takes off in the direction of the high school as fast as he can.

Meanwhile Kate and Cora at the high school basement in front of a carved wall. Cora recognizes the shape of the triskele engraved on the wall. Kate drags the reluctant child to stand in front of the wall. "Open it, or I'll send my friends back to finish off your friend." the were-jaguar threatens. After several tries the young girl is able to open the vault door.

Kate practically throws the girl away from her as she begins to search the vault's contents. She yells at Cora asking her, "Where is it? Where's the Triskele?"

"I don't know I haven't seen it since I was little," Cora snaps back, getting some of her old fire back.

**Meanwhile outside the vault: **Scott, Malia, Jackson, Allison and Kira all in their turn take on the Berserkers and are defeated. Oded, Erica and Boyd all take on the Berserkers as well and have even less luck. Stiles comes and is holding his own, throwing magic at the creatures.

Derek and Peter confront the were-jaguar in the family vault. Cora is furious when her relatives tell her who Kate really is and even more angry that she let the older woman use her like that. When Scott howls the Hale siblings eyes both glow. Derek's glow red and Cora's glow a weak golden color. The pair leave to help the true Alpha.

Peter stays behind to confront the former hunter. Kate tells him to give her the Triskele and they'll never have to deal with her again. They both know she's lying. But he points to where the artifact lays covered in a fine layer of dust. Kate uncovers it, wiping it clean reverently before asking, "How does it work?"

The Bolverk is confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," she snarls, "How does it give you control?"

Peter remembers the lessons he taught the younger Hales and responds with a smile, "Control is learned, through strength of will and character. The Triskele was only ever a trinket Kate."

"You're lying," she screams hysterically already shifting.

"You tried to kill my Pack, you seduced my fifteen year old nephew, you tried to kill my family. You want to get angry, let's get angry," he shouts partially shifting. The two were's lunge at each other and begin fighting. They haven't been fighting for long when there is a loud bang and a smoke grenade goes off near them. Normally such a thing wouldn't have bothered the two lycanthropes, but the smoke was apparently laced with wolves bane because it blinded and incapacitated them.

They were both writhing on the floor when whoever had thrown the smoke grenade, walked into the crypt wearing a gas mask. They walked past the two people on the floor and walked into the smoke floating around the room. After a few seconds they came back out carrying a briefcase. Kate manages to escape while Peter is still recovering.

The twins have arrived along with Chris, that along with the arrival of Cora and Derek manages to turn the tide in their favor. Cora begins to revert to her normal age as they are fighting. By the time the Berserkers make a run for it she has completely reverted to her old self.

Meanwhile Stiles and Malia find Peter the werewolf is freaking out, pacing and pulling at his hair. He reveals to the pair that someone managed to steal 117 million from the Pack crypt.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Stiles and Scott spoke quietly on the way to the lacrosse pitch later that week the mere idea of a million dollars had both of their minds boggled. The fact that the Pack had somehow accumulated 117 million and they had no way of imagining it. Especially since both of their single parents struggled with bills, nearly ever single month for as long as they could remember being able to conceive what a bill was. Even Danny, Lydia, and Jackson were impressed with the amount and their families were supposedly some of the wealthiest in Beacon County

Derek seemed unconcerned, even though Peter was more stressed out about it. Finally Derek took them aside and explained that the money was Peter's savings. They had inherited quite a bit, both of them from their predecessors and each werewolf took it as a responsibility to expand on these funds for future Pack members and in case of emergencies.

How an outsider would know about the vault, let alone that there was a large amount of money down there was a complete mystery. Stiles having decided to take a break from playing lacrosse to practice his skills as a Spark and also to reset the new stronger wards splits off from his bestie before they get to the locker room

Scott and the rest of the lacrosse team are introduced to several new students and one freshman in particular named Liam Dunbar. The coach is very impressed with him before he even starts playing, apparently his last coach had called ahead to let Finstock know the kid was a prodigy. The Pack members scoff at this, especially when they notice that he kind of looks like a little kid. Scott at least tries to make friends with the kid.

Dunbar unfortunately kind of blows Scott and the rest of the team off. Pretty much the same way, the other lacrosse players were doing about his skills. Then they get on the field. Liam excels at lacrosse. He is pretty much running circles around the whole team including the co-captains Jackson and Scott.

Worried about their positions on the team, Jackson recommends to the other Pack members that they use their werewolf powers, to best the younger player. Scott is reluctant but when he hears the coach commending the younger player and suggesting he might have to make it three way co-captains or even another freshman Captain. "After all it worked with McCall."

The True Alpha agrees finally and they resume play. They are surprised when they are having to amp up the werewolf strength to best the other player. They end up doing full bore werewolf ability and end up injuring Liam in the process. Jackson looks guilty as hell as the freshman is helped off the field and says, "Mom's going to kill us."

**~O~**

The Sheriff's Department was investigating several murders, basically the Walcott family were all dead or missing. No witnesses. Erica actually had tried to cover up a fit of giggles when the Sheriff said, "I want Lydia and Erica and to go with Parrish to investigate the Walcott farm."

That wasn't what made her giggle so inappropriately, it was the fact he expected them to, "Keep it on the down-low."

Parrish explains to them that, "The parents and older brother were brutally murdered earlier in the evening the night before, from what we can piece together. The younger brother," he checks his notepad quickly, "Sean is missing and presumed injured due to a large amount of blood leading away from the property. That could also be from the killer if someone got a lucky shot off." He concluded flipping the pad closed as he turned onto the driveway leading to the farm.

The trio head into the house Erica wrinkles her nose in disgust and admits, "The scent of death is a lot stronger than I was expecting," the blond werewolf says, her brows knit in confusion.

"You think the younger Walcott might have crawled off somewhere and died nearby?" Parrish asks, "The search team said they did a thorough job of it but then they're not werewolves either."

The blond shrugged and suggested, "I could follow the blood trail and see where it leads?"

Parrish looks reluctant until Erica looks at him and flashes her golden eyes as she reminds him, "If it's the kid I'm likely to find him faster than the search teams if it's the killer," she shrugs and says, as she extends her claws, "Not exactly like I'm defenseless, or even easy to catch."

"She and Malia are our best trackers," Lydia reminded the Deputy, "Even better than Allison."

"Ok, but keep your phone handy." Jordan finally agrees reluctantly.

Erica leaned over and whispered sotto voice to Lydia, "I like him. He still feels we need protecting, it's cute." She ran off in the direction of the woods.

Lydia turned to face the deputy and said, "Let's check out the crime scene, shall we?" The fact she had actually said that so casually was a little disconcerting and the Banshee had a few seconds to wonder when this had become her life. She had to admit though that compared to school this sort of thing was a lot more stimulating for her than school.

The entire place had an air of neglect about it, the inside looked rather like a crime scene as she expected there was blood, signs of a struggle, fingerprint powder and so forth. The bodies were clearly marked on the floor, and in one chair. The mother had been startled and hadn't made it out of the chair before whatever or whoever had killed her.

The pair went through the trailer before Lydia went back outside and figured out what had been bothering her. "Do you have a tape measure?" She asked Jordan. The deputy went back to the cruiser and popped the trunk, removing a rather huge tape measure. Lydia grabbed the deputy's arm and pulled him to one end of the trailer and then grabbed the end of the tape and ran to the other end.

The duo went inside and once again she positioned the Deputy at one end and she went to the other side. There was roughly a twelve foot difference between the two. "There's a hidden room," Lydia said and immediately began searching for the trigger to get in.

Jordan caught the strawberry blonde by the arm gently and reminded her. "We need a search warrant …"

"It's a crime scene, we shouldn't need a search warrant to search a crime scene." When Parrish continued to look hesitant, the younger woman inspired, suggested, "We have a missing person, this could be a safe room and he could be inside and wounded…"

"You do like to get me in trouble," Parrish said convinced and started helping her look for the trigger to open the hidden door. It took the pair several minutes to find the hidden mechanism to open the door and only a few more to realize they were looking at a lot more than just a murder case.

The secret room wasn't a safe room and Sean wasn't hiding in there. The room was actually a meat locker, and it was filled with at least a dozen human corpses. Lydia starts pacing and from what she remembers from studying the Argent's Bestiary. She examines the bodies and determines that the Walcott's were wendigos.

**~O~**

**The hospital: **Sean Walcott had come in earlier, claiming to have been hurt at work on some farm equipment. Melissa's maternal instincts were triggered and so she had cared for him personally. Another instinct had warned her that the boy wasn't being exactly truthful about how he had received the wounds. So she had set one of the security guards outside of the boys room.

Later that evening when she was attending to another patient the boy had cried out in the night. Thinking the boy might have hurt himself, or might be having a nightmare, the guard steps into the room to check on the patient.

He is knocked out from behind by Sean. He is about to feed on the older man, when a very doped up Liam walks into Sean's room by mistake. The wendigo takes the wounded lacrosse player hostage and forces him up to the roof of the hospital.

Scott had come to the hospital to visit Liam and his mom, he finds his mother treating the security guard. Melissa tells him what happened. The True Alpha ran to the roof and proceeds to fight with Sean. During the struggle a still dopey Liam is knocked off the edge of the roof. He is able barely to stop himself going completely off the roof is a still wounded arm.

The teen begins to slide from the roof and Scott manages to catch him but is caught in an awkward position and can't pull the teen back up and still hold on to his arm, without the two of them potentially sliding off the roof. He'll survive but will Liam? He finally lunges forward in his Beta form and bites the other boy on the already wounded arm before using both of his arms to pull the both of them back up to the roof.

He promptly drops Liam beside the roof barrier and turns to face Sean. The other teen is standing there watching and Scott says, a little angrily, "We're trying t help you!"

Sean says back in a hollow tone, "Wendigo's don't need help but we do need food." The teen then fully shifts into his wendigo form. The werewolf is startled when during the ensuing battle between he and Sean, a man so pale as to look almost blue appears and begins attacking the other creature. The man is tall, thin and to Scotts stunned amazement has no mouth. The man tries to kill Sean with a hatchet.

The young Alpha had to give the guy credit he was very agile and skilled with his weapon of choice, Scott got the distinct impression though he wouldn't feel that way if he was the assassins target. He was mostly trying to keep the two away from Liam.

A crossbow bolt suddenly flies between the two separating them. The Mute turns and faces Chris and Stiles. The hunter is reloading the crossbow and the Spark, who is holding a ball of energy in his hand, his eyes full of writhing black energy as he says, "Stay away from my Pack."

The Mute runs and Chris shoots a terrified looking Sean in the shoulder with a dart ended bolt. The wendigo howled and pulled it back out, before staring at the pair hungrily.

"How long did she say it would take to kick in?" Chris asked the younger man.

Stiles flicked his wrist and the energy ball dissolved before glancing at his watch, "Right about now." Suddenly Sean begins to feel weak and collapses into a seated position on the roof and uncontrollably reverts back to his human form. "What…" the boy said, "What just happened? I don't…I've never come out of a feeding frenzy like that before." He said looking around at them tiredly.

"Our resident genius created a serum that replicates the effect of human enzymes. Basically what she made on the fly makes you feel…full." Stiles explained. He then forgot about the other boy as he went to check on his schoolmates.

He touched Scott's shoulder and the True Alpha stood and guided Stiles over to a corner, agitation is every move, before hissing, "I had to bite him."

"Who the wendigo, I don't think they can become…" Stiles began.

"No, not him." Scott replied. He nodded his head in the direction of the freshman and explained, "We were both about to slip off the roof and I had to bite him to be able to hold onto him and still pull us both back up."

"What?!" Chris said angrily as he glanced over at the blond boy who looked about twelve and shocky at the moment. Before his gaze came back to the two friends. "Tell me you did not just create another werewolf?" he snarled quietly.

"Actually no, I was trying to keep us both from falling to our deaths off of the roof, Chris. Biting him to hold onto him so that I could pull us back from the edge was just the most expedient way to do that." Scott snarled right back with just a hint of red in his irises.

The hunter had the good grace to look mollified and a bit shame faced as he asked, "What's his name?"

"Liam Dunbar, he's a freshman at the high school. He got injured at lacrosse practice, I came to check on him and he somehow got dragged into all of this."

Scott said looking over at the teen, concerned.

"Is he gonna be…" Chris asked, trying to figure out a way to ask the question that was on all of their minds without actually voicing it.

"How should I know? It's not like I've ever made a Beta before. Or bitten anyone even." the teen said in frustrated distaste.

"Scott, whether he is or isn't going to be a wolf, you need to accept this was necessary to save both of your lives. If he realizes that you don't want him and never wanted to make him. It could trigger him into becoming a kanima."

"Stiles how do I tell him, that he..that I…"

"For right now, just be a friend. We have some time before the full moon. Go, he needs someone right now." Stiles encouraged.

The young Alpha went over to the young lacrosse player and wrapped his school jacket around he kids shoulders then took off his t-shirt and wrapped it around the bite on his arm. Then pulled the dazed younger man into his arms in a comforting manner. As he touched his neck he drew the pain out of the other teen.

"Take care of my new grandchild." Stiles whispered as his eyes slowly faded back to their normal amber color.

"What do we do about him?" Chris asked about the stuperous wendigo sitting on the roof nearby.

"Guess that depends on how well the enzyme works. We'll have to keep an eye on him for a bit before we decide. Who knows he may have family he can go to?" Stiles said, his eyes distant as he looked out over the roof.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Peter is actually in the loft doing research on wendigos and who the mouthless person might be, when he hears someone coming into the loft. He still preferred using the space for research. They really hadn't anticipated how busy and noisy the new Pack House was going to be and to say it was distracting when they were trying to get something done.

He turns to face the door when a hatchet suddenly goes into the papers and pins them to his chest. A few minutes later Lydia walks into the room and sees the Mute going through the papers near a prone Peter. The older werewolf is lying on the ground with the hatchet still sticking out of his chest. The man looks up at her from where he is kneeling and puts his finger to his lips in a sign of silence. Instead of paying attention to him, Lydia screams.

The assassin is clearly shocked when he I partially blown through the lofts now shattered window. He doesn't even have the time to retrieve his hatchet before the strawberry blond screams once again and he is blown out the window. The Banshee runs over to the window and sees the Mute is gone. She is already dialing as she heads back to where the werewolf is lying unconscious.

She calls Parrish first for transportation. Then notifies Deaton of what has happened and that they will be coming his way shortly. Then she calls Stiles, as Pack mom he has the best chance of notifying everyone quickly. No one in either Pack ignored a call from the Alpha Mate. You did so at your own peril.

She watches as Jordan charges through the door, gun drawn. He quickly holsters the weapon and runs to help her. She is trying to stop the bleeding without actually removing the hatchet. She knows werewolves have super healing but they don't know this assassin, he could use wolves bane or mountain ash on his weapons to neutralize the healing factor in a werewolves blood, she wasn't going to risk her friends father by yanking out the only thing that might be keeping him from bleeding out.

Lydia was packing gauze around the wound when they got to the vet clinic, Deaton was already waiting for them at the back of the clinic. He saw what the Pack emissary was doing and complimented, "Well done Ms. Martin. I understand Stiles has notified or is notifying the rest of the Pack including his mate and family. They should be here shortly."

They placed him on the human length gurney before the vet speaks again. "Let me know when you're ready and we'll remove the hatchet. Deputy Parrish would you mind holding Peter down?"

They are just about to pull the hatchet free when Chris comes running in. The hunter has just enough time to grab his mate's hand before Deaton yanks the offending weapon free. Even unconscious the werewolf reacts violently when the hatchet is pulled free of his chest.

It takes everyone in the room to keep the werewolf from jerking right off of the table. Stiles cast some bindings that manage to hold the older man to the table barely, "A little warning next time, doc." he sasses as they struggle with the older man.

Lydia is able to keep the bleeding manageable before the Druid is able to pour something viscous into the wound. Chris is muttering under his breath and through bits and pieces those assembled are able to understand what happened previously.

The young woman is also able to understand that Chris blames himself for the injury that Peter has sustained because he didn't actually kill the assassin who has now wounded his lover, and is free to continue to attack his family, his Pack. Stands in for Allison a little bit as she reminds the hunter of the families new motto "We defend the defenseless. Says that while Sean Walcott isn't defenseless per say he doesn't deserve to lose his entire family and be killed just because he has to feed on corpses.

While Peter is recovering from his injury the Pack continue to discuss Sean and Liam's problems. Deaton when he see the enzyme that Lydia created is stunned at her genius and ability to manufacture this cure in a high school lab. He reassures them that he thinks a friend of his who is a college science professor as well as a Druid may be able to improve on the stability of he product and make it more long lasting. Says he'll discuss it with him that evening and et back to them.

Stiles informs Scott that he not only has to introduce Liam to the rest of this Pack and the Hale Pack, in order that no one thinks the young werewolf is an Omega intruder or some other kind of interloper.

They also need to let the younger teen in on the supernatural world. Scott agrees but as usual he doesn't exactly explain it right and the younger student thinks that he is being invited to a party by the older lacrosse players as an acceptance on the team.

What he gets is a crazy story, that he can't half believe even when Derek comes in and does the whole Alpha thing, he just thinks it's a really good makeup job. He doesn't believe he'll become one of the clearly fake werewolves and is clearly hurt this isn't the sign of acceptance he was expecting.

The kid runs out and Stiles reminds them what happens if a newly turned werewolf doesn't feel accepted by his Alpha or his Pack. Scott and Kira go and track Liam down at his house and over hear a conversation between Liam and Dunbar Sr. over his impulse control and anger issues.

The conversation among the Pack members has moved to the new Pack House they still hadn't gotten around to renaming the structure. Usually they just called it the Pack House, not confusing at all.

Lydia mentions that she had inherited a house on the Lake from her grandmother. Her mother keeps wanting her to sell it as she and her grandmother never really got along but Lydia has managed to keep it. The lake is still kind of isolated this time of year cause everyone is back in school and the mosquitoes are the size of private planes.

Stiles suggests that he could put a mountain ash circle around the building and Malia agrees to try to help the younger werewolf with his control by being locked up with him in the Lake House.

When Allison arrives at the vet to take her shift of watching over Peter while he heals. Chris goes to the Sheriff's Department to talk with John and Parrish. Only to find the three hunkered down around a computer that Danny is typing on. Danny discovers that the man who killed Sean's family and attacked Peter is known only as the Mute. The man is apparently a well known assassin who specializes in eliminating supernatural targets.

John says a little snippily, "What that's a specialty now?"

Chris clears his throat and tilting his head slightly, raises his brow and gazes at the Sheriff with a talking look. "Ok, ok, I get the point."

Jordan continues to watch over the teens shoulder and is doing his best to ignore the two men as he looks as if he may burst out laughing if he doesn't, "Anyway, apparently he answered a contract sent out by some person known only as the Benefactor."

Danny continued to type also trying hard not to laugh at the two older men, before blanching and adding, "We have another problem…well several actually. The Mute isn't the only assassin who answered the contract," the hacker said, concentrating on the computer before him.

"So how many more are we looking at?" the Sheriff asked with a hint of temper to his voice. These people were coming into his town and messing with the people he was sworn to protect. He didn't tolerate that well.

"Hum," Jordan said trying to get a headcount, as he watched before he finally gave up and just said, "a lot."

"Stiles managed to get the wards back up, so no more are getting in now, but there's no telling how many managed to get past it while it was down." the Sheriff said in a world weary tone.

Sheriff what happens to the ones who are still trying to get in after the wards have been reset?"

The Sheriff responded with a harsh tone as he replied, "Does it matter? Human or other they are coming into our town to try and kill our people?" the older man said as he too looked over the hackers shoulder before asking, "They get what they deserve. Can you get me a printout of that?"

**~O~**

**Meanwhile at the Beacon Hills Overlook: **Stiles is watching over the town. Peter had finally recovered enough to return home with his family to complete his healing. Sean was staying with Melissa and Scott who said he was going to wait to discuss the upcoming full moon with Liam.

Derek moved up behind his mate, wrapping his arms around the teen as he saw what looked like lightning on the horizon. Except there was no thunder as he had expected. He watched as Stiles smiled a little darkly and the Alpha finally asked, "What is that?"

"That's the insects that want to clear our town of supernaturals, and that," he said indicating the quick flashed of light that were flashing in several locations around the border of Beacon Hills, "Is our very own bug zapper."

Derek looked back and forth between the flashes of light and is mate for a moment before an actual grin flashed across his face and he said, "Have I mentioned how much I love your style?" As he drew the younger man into his embrace and nuzzled his throat affectionately and possessively.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**The night of the full moon: **Several Pack members including Malia, Lydia and Stiles are waiting for the True Alpha and Kira to bring Liam to the Lake House to be secured with Mountain Ash and chain for the full moon. Scott had told them he thought it would be better if he and Kira talked to the new werewolf together, just the three of them. He mentions the other teen might find the whole Pack being there a little intimidating. Stiles agreed pleasantly surprised at his friends thinking things through.

As they are waiting for the trio though, Lydia gets a strange vibe from the house. She says she feels as though she had been there before, but her mother swears she never was allowed to visit her grandmother here.

Then Scott and Malia drive up. They had borrowed, the Hale SUV from Malia and Malia is a little surprised when her boyfriend and his twin jump out of the backseat. They are even more surprised when Liam doesn't.

"What happened?" Stiles asked a little confused.

Kira looks very guilty and Scott looks sheepish as the twins go to the back of the SUV and open it up. Scott admits, "We ran into a little problem." As the twins pull a duct taped and chained Liam out of the back of the truck.

"Scott what did you do?" Stiles said mouth gaped and cheeks flushed as the twins walked past him carrying the struggling blond into the Lake House with cheeky grins on their faces.

"We had to get a little creative in our persuasive techniques," the Alpha admitted.

"I think that's actually called kidnapping Scott," Stiles said in a slightly higher pitch than he was comfortable with. The Spark was feeling more than a pinch of a migraine coming on as the bound teen started screaming through the duct tape gag, a little desperately.

The two continued to argue as the twins walked back outside after dumping their burden into a bathtub. As soon as they were outside they shifted and took off into the nearby woods, their wolves riding them. The Shift was easy, their transformations like slipping on a jacket. The pair pause before entering the woods and look back over their shoulders as if waiting for the others to join them.

"Yeah okay got to go, full moon and all," Scott started to walk towards the woods only to be snatched back by Stiles. The Alpha Mate's eyes weren't shifted into the black of the Spark, but there were flames in them.

He reminded Scott sharply, "You are a parent now Scott, or at least a brother. You gonna leave him alone for his first conversion?"

"Well I thought since you did so well with me?" Scott said with a charming grin.

"No," Stiles said baldly. As he literally shook the young Alpha by the scruff of the neck. "I'm the grandparent. I'm the one who spoils them rotten, gets them hyped up on sugar and then sends them back to you."

"I will do my best to help but this is you being a responsible Alpha. Which may be a challenge considering you still have trouble following your Alpha's instructions." Stiles reminded as he pushed Scott back toward the Lake House. He looked back over his shoulder and hollered, "Go on you two, Scott has something else to do tonight."

"Derek is not my…" with a slap to the back of the head that had the new Alpha convinced Stiles had used a little magical enhancement. Scott ducked his head and caressed the back of his scalp to make sure it was still attached. The Alpha cried, "Hey!"

"Scott you may be an Alpha but you're still a teenager and a clueless one at that, if you think Derek isn't your Alpha." Stiles said as he walked past his friend into the Lake House.

"You smacked me," Scott said indignantly.

"You kidnapped a teenager, Scott. I would say me smacking you is the least of your worries." Stiles reminded him. He led the way into the living room/kitchen and said, "Ladies we're about to go into lockdown is there anything you need to get from the vehicles before I set the circle?"

Kira, Lydia and Malia all reassured them that everything had been brought in including homework, snackage and everything else they may need for the full moon. With that Stiles went out the back door onto the pier and out to the end.

He closed his eyes, pulling his focus into what he was about to do. The Spark retrieved the vial of mountain ash from his pocket and poured a surprisingly small amount into his palm before opening his eyes to reveal black embers. Stiles whispered, "As above, so below." and tossed the powder into the air. Like a rubber band snapping back, the powder came back down in a perfect circle around the cabin, even in a semi-circle into the lake.

**~O~**

Derek, Jordan and the Sheriff are questioning Sean who is still amazed to be alive and not in jail, just for being a wendigo. He explained to the Sheriff that they actively worked not to kill humans. "My dad had a friend from Lighthouse Medical School. He was another wendigo. He provided the cadavers from the medical school when the students were done with them. Or ones the school rejected for whatever reason."

"Why would a medical school reject a body?" Derek asked curiously.

"Lots of reasons," Sean said with a shrug. "Sometimes they have a communicable disease, sometimes the bodies have been dead too long, or are too mangled like from an accident, or fire. We don't really mind any of that too much. Well the being too ripe sometimes even we can't handle that, but we are immune to most human ailments or shake them off really fast." He said as he enjoyed a roast beef sandwich and chips.

"Does the enzyme help you eat regular food?" Jordan asked.

"No we can eat regular food anyway," Sean said. "It's how my brother and I fit in at regular school and stuff. We just had to eat like a wendigo when we got home and usually it was just for one meal a day, but we had to eat a certain amount of human flesh, or we would revert to being what you saw before."

"Sean we need to ask you about the death of your family, and the man who attacked you and your family," the Sheriff said trying to get back to tracking down the Mute.

"I already described him to you," the teen said in confusion.

"Yes you did but we want to hear anything else you can remember from the night of the attack," the older man said. Taking out his notebook and getting ready to write notes as the boy spoke.

"Willow came into my room and she was acting strange, and when I finally caught her she had blood on her paws." the by seemed to realize something and cried, "Oh, Willow, I forgot all about her. I need to go back to the house and find her."

"It's late now, I'll take the others back out to the house and find her tomorrow." Jordan promised.

"Ok," the teen said and they could already see him starting to react to what he was remembering. "I could hear them screaming out in the hall, I peaked through the door and saw him. I tried to get away and he threw an axe at me," The teen said tensely, "He told me not to bother to try and get away, he would still track me down and kill me. I ran anyway."

"Wait he talked to you, how did he do that?" Derek asked in confusion.

"He had some kind of gadget on his wrist, he typed and it talked." Sean said thoughtfully.

Jordan said, "I bet those are rare and that someone keeps track of them and that there's only one in the Beacon Hills area right now."

"Call Mr. Malehaeni see if he can track down our assassin." the Sheriff agreed.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Lydia opens the door to find nearly a hundred people outside the door of her Lake House. She was certain this would exceed the capacity of the stilts the house was currently on and she had a sneaking suspiscion that a certain chained teen was going to be receiving the sharp edge of her tongue.

The Banshee would freely admit that she had totally channeled her Alpha pair when dealing with the wannabe party goers- When all else failed screaming like a Banshee beginner strength worked just fine. As she walked back into the Lake House she noticed something that hadn't been there before. An open door, where there hadn't even been a door before. Inside she finds a sound-proofed room, everything is white. It's a little disorienting and then the voices start.

Kira founfd the odd door and walks into the room to tell Lydia that she thinks the party-goers may have compromised Stiles circle. Only to find the Banshee staring at one of the walls a little strangely. Luckily she had been around the Pack long enough to know when Lydia is in one of her Banshee states. Unfortunately she hadn't been around long enough to figure out how to snap the strawberry blond out of it.

Stiles is helping Malia gain control of her were-coyote it takes some patience but Malia is finally able to pull herself back under control. Only to lose it again when Kira comes running into the room to tell them, "Lydia is freaking out, she's staring at the wall and I can't get her to snap out of it."

Stiles leaves Malia and heads down the hall with Kira, after several minutes of trying to talk Lydia down as her eyes get heaver and heavier. Stiles tries something he's never done before, his own version of the Alpha voice. He flashes his ember eyes at her and he adds a little magic to enhance his voice as he yells her name. "Lydia!"

The titan haired genius draws in a deep breath as if just waking up and stares around a litte startled at her friends. Kira and Stiles drag their friends out of the room without further ado and slam the door shut behind them. Kira then remembers why she had originally gone in search of the Banshee and tells the pair she thinks that the crowd of students had erased part of the moutnain ash circle.

Stiles goes to check on the two were's while Lydia goes with Kira to check on the circle. Sure enough the activity had cracked the circle. Stiles runs back into the house to discover while Malia is still there and under control Liam is gone. The chains are still in the tub.

Derek and the Sheriff locate the Mute at the high school where he has set up a Claymore mine. Derek goes outside and howls and suddenly Oded appears beside the Alpha. "So I know you do explosives how are you with Claymores?"

"Show me," the Anubite said. The man was led into the school and directed toward where the mine was located. A hatchet came flying out of nowhere and buried itself in the Anubite's side. He went down and the werewolf snarled and shifted and went after the assassin.

He found the Mute surprisingly strong as he was fighting him. Derek wasn't going to let the man get away though. By setting the mine in the school…the assassin could kill dozens if not hundreds of teens and staff if it had gone off when the school was in session. The werewolf threw the assassin through a nearby wall. He started to go after him when he was distracted by a sound, it was Oded he had managed to crawl to the mine.

When Derek glanced back in the direction of the Mute, it was to find Peter with his claws in the man's torso. Derek and his uncle gazed at each other for a minute in complete understanding. The Alpha ran over to help the Anubite try to disarm the bomb.

Jordan was there beside the other man. Oded and he were speaking together quietly and the deputy was carefully removing a couple of wires from the device.

"Done?" Derek asked quietly.

"Yes, we're good." Oded whispered a little weakly, the hatchet still protruding from his side.

"Call the ambulance, I'll try and get Stiles," Derek said to Parrish. "Next time duck," he said to Oded a bit harshly as he pulled out his cellphone.

"Next time, warn me when we're heading into a combat situation." he snarked back at the younger man.

Jordan has called the ambulance and then he looked up as Peter brings the arm band with the Mute's computer on it. "Think our resident geniuses can make something out of this?"

Jordan studied the device for a minute before handing it back to the older werewolf and saying, "I wouldn't put it past them."

Stiles is suddenly beside them and says as he kneels beside Oded, "And I thought we were having too much excitement where I was." The teen pulled a vial of the glowing liquid he seemed to keep handy. "Yeah, you know how they say this is gonna hurt me as much or more than it hurts you."

Oded groaned, as the teen put his hand around the wound where the hatchet was still embedded, then realizing what Stiles had asked he hissed, "Yeah?"

Stiles met his eyes and said, "They lied," before he yanked the blade out of the wound and placed his hand fully over it. Everyone in the room seemed suddenly to slow to a crawl, as Stiles hands were moving very fast weaving spells over the other man.

He didn't heal the wound. That would have brought up too many questions but he did heal it partially. Enough so that it wouldn't bleed out at least before the ambulance got there. Time starting moving at normal pace what seemed only a moment or two later.

That's when he noticed the Claymore he was reaching for it even aas he asked, "Can I…"

"No," several voices said at once. The Spark gave all of the other Pack members in the room, the stink eye.

"Stiles," Derek finally asked, "What did you mean by too much excitement, where you were?"

"Let's just say that our new grandson is proving to be quite the handful. Scott and the Alpha Twins were able to corral him and bring him back to the Lake House. About that time all of them heard Lydia scream.

At the same time that Jordans radio crackles to life announcing that they had found the dead body of a teenaged girl. While the Sheriff's Department are processing the scene for the dead girl, Danny with some help from Lydia are able to hack the password and crack the code on the Mute's computer. To reveal something that Lydia calls a Dead Pool. Basically a hit list of supernatural creatures including the girl who was killed last night, and all of the members of both Packs. Sveral students in the school, which explained the Claymore and Oded. The Keycode was Oliver, Derek's father's name. Which reveals a list of names, including several people they knew to be supernaturals in Beacon Hills.


	71. Chapter 71

**A/N~ So in answer to some of the questions posted. Yes Stiles does remember the alternate timeline or at least some of it. His memory though isn't complete yet. Rather more like Swiss cheese. Second as far as Stiles is aware he has no fae blood to run his Spark, but as no one has mentioned Claudia having any remaining family, I am going with if she did no one is aware of it. Also we have not gotten to the time that the timelines would separate, thus we continue. Love you guys for the great reviews. Keep them coming. ~A**

**A/N/N~ There is a sex scene between Stiles and Derek, after this chapter. It will be titled Spark to a Flame Chapter 68 DS Sex Scene 2. I hope this is going to be a good one. Warning it will be rated M, it will be slash, it will involve a very small amount of bondage, and it will involve Stiles being the top, if anything squicks you about this. I really wouldn't read this chapter which will hopefully be posted by Monday. Barring further issues post Matthew. Speaking of \/ see below. ~A**

**A/N/N/N~ (Is this even a thing?)~ Thanks to everyone who let me know about the error of posting the wrong story under this title. I have since removed the erroneous chapter. Reason for the wrong chapter and the very delayed posting is all gonna be laid directly at the feet of Hurricane Matthew. Also besides power outages, internet outages and trees down. I also had a fall in which I gave myself a rather firm concussion and bruised myself like Rocky only a bit more spread out. So ow. If any of you also went through the hurricane my prayers are with you and hopes for a speedy recovery effort. I look outside still and know it could have been so much worse. ~A**

**Chapter 68**

"I wish you would tell me when you're going to bring us down here. I'd dress a little warmer." Stiles said as he rubbed his bare arms fitfully. That was the only sign of discomfort he showed however.

Instead of answering his son the Sheriff pulled back the sheet to show a young blond woman pretty but incredibly young. He pointed out the burned in ligature mark on her neck and said, "Our best guess is that this is some kind of therma cord, we've sent photos and samples to state to see if they can clarify it a bit for us."

Scott came forward and after taking a sniff admits that, "She is a werewolf but beyond that I can't really tell anything because there are so many other bodies in here," Gesturing to the several other sheet covered bodies in the morgue waiting to be identified.

"Yeah," the Sheriff agreed, "I never really realized how many supernaturals there were until this crew came into town and started knocking them off. Now they're dropping like flies. It's also not like I can tell everybody, 'Oh and by the way, if you're human you have nothing to worry about they're only after the supernatural residents of Beacon Hills."

The older man rubbed his chin as he continued, "Hell we don't even know if that's the truth, if they get noticed by a human while doing this who's to say they wouldn't kill them to eliminate a witness."

"Worse news," Stiles told his father ruefully. "Lydia says she thinks that the Dead Pool they have uncovered so far is only partially complete. She says she thinks less than half of it was deciphered and she and Malia are trying to decipher the rest now."

"Yeah, our best guess is that whoever stole the money from the Hale vault, is using the 117 million to fund their Dead Pool." Scott explained.

"Great," the Sheriff said leaning against one of the gurneys as he wiped his face tiredly again. Then realizing what he was leaning against John lifted himself off of the gurney and went to lean against a wall. An expression of distaste crossing his face for a split second before it settled back into his professional mode.

"Something else you should know, we had a chance to go through her cell phone records and she was lured to that party the Dunbar kid cooked up. Which means whoever her killer was, he or she is posing as a student at the school. So you guys watch your backs." the older man looked at the his son and the young man he considered a son and said, "I'm already going to be attending too many funerals this week. I do not want to attend someone's funeral that's part of my family. I've done enough of that."

"Yes dad. Yes sir" echoed hollowly off the walls in the cold room.

**~O~**

Coach Finstock comes into the locker room and calls everyone's attention to himself. "Alright you chuckleheads," he says holding up a sheaf of papers as he speaks, "I have here the schedule for the season. Barring bad weather or some other act of God, the schedule will not change. Attendance at all games is mandatory only death or dismemberment will be a permissible excuse and then only if I see the body or body part in question. This means you Greenberg."

He handed the sheets to Jackson and said, "Whittlemore make yourself useful and pass these out." The teen made a little put upon gesture but still handed the papers out without complaint.

Scott hears a little sound of protest come from Liam, who looks pale, maybe even a little green, as he studies the handout of the scheduled matches. Later when most of the team has cleared, Derek manages to slip into the locker room. It is clear that the new werewolf is intimidated by the Alpha. Derek testing the freshman's strength and control doesn't help much. Scott however is able to calm the younger werewolf down easily.

Derek studies the True Alpha's methods and nods approvingly and smiles as he remarks that, "You're going to be good at this, at training him."

Scott is surprised at the compliment and admits to the older Alpha, "I'm not ready."

"No one ever is," Derek replies, "but you have a strong character, a good one, that's half the battle right there."

"Dude," Scott says looking at the other werewolf oddly as he said amusedly, "Did you just quote GI Joe to me?" Trying hard not to laugh.

Derek scowled as he responded, "Shut up!"

**~O~**

Before the game Liam heads over to the opposing team to talk with them. They are his former team mates from his previous high school and he is trying to make amends. Instead they try to bully him because while he was a student at Devonford Prep, he vandalized his coaches car.

Scott and Stiles manage to get him away from his former teammates before he wolves out. Scott is able to calm the younger man down and after a few minutes the freshman confesses, "I have IED."

Stiles looks confused for a minute before asking, "You have an improvised explosive device?"

Liam actually manages a weak laugh as he says, "No but that may be where they got the acronym. IED in human disorders means intermittent explosive disorder. I got kicked out of my old school because I got angry with my old coach, took a crowbar to his car and scratched, "This is all your fault" into the paint of his car."

"And I thought Derek had anger issues," Scott said amused. Stiles reached over and smacked his friend in the back of his head before adding.

"Watch it dude that's my man you're talking about there."

They all kind of laugh about his reaction before Scott finally tells Liam. "Look everybody has some kind of issue besides being a werewolf, a wendigo, a kitsune, a Banshee or whatever but we're always here for each other. That's the important thing."

** ~O~**

Derek is showing Argent around the Hale vault where Peter and Kate had their fight and where the money was stolen from. Hoping his skills as a hunter will turn up a clue the Pack missed on who the Benefactor might be.

Meanwhile Cora is confessing to Jackson that, "I've been loosing my powers ever since reverting back from a pre-teen during the fight with the Berserkers." The lacrosse co-captain holds her comfortingly as he contemplates how he might be able to help his girlfriend get her powers back.

Meanwhile back at the stadium later that evening, Scott, Kira and Jackson are doing their best to help the freshman keep his composure during the lacrosse game. Which isn't easy considering his old teammates are ding their best to paint a target on the new werewolves back.

Lydia is at the station trying to input the names of the dead supernaturals into the computer to try and decode the rest of the list. Meredith shows up and claims that, Lydia had called her. Gives Lydia the clue that Peter is the next keyword.

Stiles relays the next part of the list to the rest of the Pack. Including the part that Brett from the other team is a werewolf. Garrett one of the newer members of their team, has a wolves bane laced blade on the end of his lacrosse stick that he is able to use on the werewolf without being seen.

Brett gets a time out from the coach and is allowed to go back to the locker room, to attend to what is assumed to be an accidental wound. As he enters the locker room though the player is suddenly attacked by Violet. Garret's partner who is doing her best to overpower the werewolf and succeeding as she has the thermal cord wrapped around his neck and is trying to either strangle the werewolf or cut off his head. Then she hears someone coming, and scrambles to hide.

Scott comes into the locker room to check on the other player, only to find him on the ground unconscious. Suddenly the True Alpha is attacked from behind by the assassin Violet. She is so busy bragging about her exploits she doesn't realize she's losing until Scott has pulled the cord from his neck and has turned the tables on the would be assassin. Lifting her off the ground by the throat. Red eyes glowing. Scott knocks her out by slamming her head against a concrete pillar in the locker room.

**XXXXXXXXX**

That same evening, several hours later, Scott and Liam are trying to figure out their story behind what happened at the school. Luckily Garrett in all of his haste to disappear had accidentally left his money from the pool behind.

When they find the bundles of cash in the locker, it's a particularly difficult moment for Scott. As he explains to Liam that his mother had been trying to get the power turned back on because they are three months behind on the electric bill. It is a bonding moment of sorts between the Alpha and his new Beta..

They have just finished figuring out the tale they're going to tell, when Scott's father shows up. The older man is already apologizing to his son when he comes through the door. Scott still a little testy with his father because things have pretty much gone back to the way they were before they had their supposed reconciliation. Especially since he knows that if his father had been helping with the bills they probably wouldn't be as far behind on the electric as they are.

Rafe has returned to Beacon Hills, "Because I heard that two high school lacrosse players were attacked in the locker rooms and nearly killed. Funny thing one of them happened to be named Scott McCall and no one thought to call me."

Scott explains that, "I was attacked but not hurt and I was able to overpower her easily. Thus no call to you," then he added, "I wasn't stabbed first so that might have had something to do with not being weakened like Brett and so nearly killed."

The agent still hugs his son manfully. He sees Violet being processed and says, "Wait a minute I know her," He tells them, 'she's a member of a group of teenaged serial killers, known as the Orphans. Her specialty is the use of the thermal cord like the one she had tried to use on Scott.'

**~O~**

Liam is on a run in the Preserve with Mason. Unaware he's doing it he is trying to collect his thoughts and outruns his friend easily. It's one of his favorite ways to help keep his IED in check.

When he is suddenly mowed down by an SUV. While he is still on the ground recovering Garrett hops out of the vehicle and attacks the young Beta. He slashes the smaller teen and poisons him with his blade. He then throws him into a nearby well. "I really appreciate the help Dunbar. Not only am I going to get the money for you, I'll get my girl back and collect the bounty on McCall's head. That's what I call a hell of a day."

Sure enough a half hour later, Scott receives a text from Garrett telling him what he has done. When Scott calls his bluff, the assassin sends his former team mate a picture message, of a wounded Liam at the bottom of the well. The True Alpha barely contains his anger and his fear as he replies to the text, "What do you want?"

"You're going to help me get my girl back. In return I give you back your baby Beta." Garrett replied.

**~O~**

Malia is sitting in her class trying to figure out where her Pack mates are when she hears Cora calling her out. She and Jackson meet in the parking lot as he was called too. The two head into the Preserve.

Cora is there waiting for them. She explains, "The assassins got to Brett. The others are trying to help him now, but if they knew about him. They might know about his Pack, they need to be warned. Even if they don't know about his Pack, they need to be warned. They also might want to know what's happened to him. She looked away for a minute, Jackson is a better tracker and Malia has the keenest sense of smell in the Pack. I thought you guys might like to help me try and track them down?"

Before Jackson can say anything, Malia responds eagerly, "Anything to get out of math class." Her boyfriend agrees to help Cora easily and the group head off into the woods

**~O~**

Stiles and Derek have brought Brett to Dr. Deaton in the hopes that the vet can help save the werewolf from the poison that the assassin Garrett used. Stiles is feeling a little less than useful as he repeats for the third time as he paces the exam room of the clinic, "I should be able to figure this out."

He is doing his best to stay out of Deaton's way when Derek reels him in to his side as the doctor huffs in frustration. The Beta, delirious jumps off the able, he shoves Cora out of the way effortlessly, and runs into Peter who knocks him out and says, "I guess I still have a little werewolf strength, myself."

They get Brett back on the table with Cora receding more into her own depression over loosing her powers.

Derek is glaring at the other werewolf as the pair hold Brett down. As Deaton cuts the lacrosse player's chest open a yellowish colored smoke is released. They hear Brett muttering the same phrase over, and over deliriously, "The Sun, the moon, and the truth."

As the younger werewolf settles into rest, Stiles realizes, "That's a Buddhist mantra." He is looking over at Cora and there is concern in his eyes as he says, "They're all things that can never truly be hidden. Clouds, day, night, and lies, no matter what you do all of those things will eventually be found again. It just may take some time."

**~O~**

Lydia, Stiles and Parrish go to Eichen House. They are hoping to get Meredith to help them discover the last cipher key for the dead pool.

While they are waiting to see the other Banshee, Lydia tells the deputy that his name is on part of the dead pool. Stiles shows him a print out of the list, when he sees it the deputy seems genuinely disappointed that he only has a 5 by his name.

"I'm worth $5." he says looking at them, unconcerned.

Actually I'm pretty sure that's 5 million, dude." Stiles explains as he takes the lit back and stuffs it in his backpack.

"I only make $40,00 a year. Maybe I should off myself." The deputy explains that he appreciates the warning that the pair have given him but tells Lydia, "Since thanks to you and Stiles, I know about Aruvat and I know he's pretty much watching my back so to speak. I'm a lot better protected than some of the other members of the Pack including you."

After a confrontation with the orderly Brunski, they end up with the keys and the disgruntled man walking away. Stiles smiles as he grabs the deputy by the arm and saying, "You…you I like. We're keeping you."

They are finally led in to speak to Meredith. They sit close together and Lydia finally asks Meredith, "I need your help, I can't figure out the cipher key."

Meredith looks very regretful and a little frightened as she responds, "I'm sorry I can't help you. The Benefactor doesn't want me to."

Despite reassurances from Parrish and cajoling from Lydia, the Banshee refuses to help them and finally insists on going back to her room. The pair leave the asylum and Aruvat whispers to Jordan that he feels the presence of evil, but a very human evil.

**~O~**

Scott is sitting in the SUV with Garrett. They go over the plan which Scott tells him is a stupid plan. The werewolf is supposed to take out the tires with his claws and then they are going to retrieve Garrett's girlfriend. Only as they get closer to where they're supposed to enact their plan, the pair see the vehicle already overturned in the middle of the street.

Scott gets out and runs to where Sheriff Stilinski is trying to pull Scott's unconscious father away from the overturned vehicle. Even though the Sheriff can barely move himself. Scott reaches them and is trying to check on the two men. While Garrett is retrieving his lacrosse dagger.

The Sheriff is barely able to groan the warning, "They're still here."

A berserker steps out of the woods, Garrett basically taunts the creature telling it, "You can have first crack at the Alpha." When another Berserker steps out behind Garrett and runs him through.

Scott attacks after he sees the assassin literally slide off the Bersekers claws. Only to be knocked down and out by one of the creatures.

**~O~**

The trio of Cora, Jackson and Malia are walking in the woods. Malia stops suddenly and says she smells gunpowder. Cora looks down and finds spent gun shells on the ground and says, "Well one things for sure if Satomi is out here with her Pack. They're hiding."

**~O~**

Scott comes to in Deaton's clinic with the vet standing over him. His mentor tells him regretfully, "I was actually hoping you'd be out for a little while longer."

The Alpha looks down to discover one of the werewolf antlers sticking out of his abdomen.

Chris Argent is there and explains sardonically, "This is gonna hurt." With that he yanks the antler out of Scott's midsection. The werewolf manages to lurch to his feet. Even as the wound is healing, Scott asks about the Sheriff and his dad. The others tell him that both men are in the hospital.

Scott tells him that they had to find Kate and the Berserkers, because, "They took Violet and she is probably the only one who knows where Liam is."

Chris explains, "I know, but they move fast and they don't leave much in the way of tracks."

"There are other ways of tracking them though," Deaton offers as he shows Scott the antler.

**~O~**

Cora, Jackson and Malia get back into the SUV. Malia apologizes for not having been able to track the Pack.

Cora replies, "It's not your fault, some werewolves are so disciplined they can actually mask their scent. Like Brett if it hadn't been for the dead pool we never would have figured out that Brett was a werewolf."

"We should start thinking like Stiles," the were-coyote suggests.

"What like a hyper-active spazz?" Jackson asks only to have the were-coyote flash her eyes at him.

"No moron, like a detective." she says in defense of her friend. "Instead of asking where Werewolves hide, maybe we should be asking where Buddhists could be found."

Cora looked out the front of the vehicle for a moment before noticing the compass. "Buddha looked for enlightenment to the east."

Malia asks, "Is there an eastern point in Beacon Hills?"

"Look out Point," Jackson offers thoughtfully, "Lookout Point is to the east and you can see the whole town from there." Cora starts the SUV.

**~O~**

Liam is trying to climb out of the wall. He is actually pretty high up along the rock wall of the well, when he slips. He falls back down into the water and has apparently cut his hand on one of the sharp rocks.

As he is looking at the cut on his hand, it triggers a flashback to after he had been chained in the Lake House and escaped. Scott took him back there and showed him the broken window he had jumped out of. Scott had explained that his wounds had been healed while he was shifted. Scott promised to teach him control though so he would be able to get a grip on his anger.

Liam said that his dad said that when kids get angry they do one of two things they either hurt themselves or they hurt someone else. Coming out of his memory the teen notices in the gathering gloom of dusk that the wound on his palm is beginning to ooze yellow goo. The teen goes at the wall again.

**~O~**

Night has fallen as Scott and Chris arrive at Argent Arms International. "Let me guess," Scott said as the hunter got out of his SUV. "One of yours?"

"I used to work here," Chris agrees amiably enough. "So did Kate."

Scott warns Chris, "Look I've fought these things before and they're really strong."

Chris goes into the back of his SUV and pulls out an assault rifle. Scott looks suitably impressed as Chris smirks. As the pair walk through the building, there view is blocked by plastic sheeting hanging from the ceiling everywhere.

They hear Kate's voice suddenly as she tells them, "You shouldn't have come." Then she walks into view with two of her berserkers. Scott tries asking, "I need to talk to Violet."

Kate ignores the werewolf, only seeming to acknowledge her brother, as she says, "I knew you would find me. I just wished it would have been later when I had learned more control." As she speaks the were-jaguar drew her claws along the plastic sheeting. "Lower the gun and walk away. You don't have to get hurt." She tells her brother to lower the gun, he doesn't and she starts becoming agitated.

The berserkers break the stand off and attack. Chris opens fire. Kate grabs the gun from Chris and punches him, knocking him down. He and Scott both dodge attacks from the berserkers.

**~O~**

Cora, Jackson, and Malia arrive at Lookout Point. They get out of the SUV and Malia stops Cora and asks, "Don't you smell that?"

Cora and Jackson tried to have Malia wait at the SUV. She looked at them as if they were crazy and reminded them, "You do remember I pretty much grew up in the wild, where I actually killed my own food and stuff. So stop treating me like I'm oh I don't know like a were-coyote." she says as she stomps off toward where the disturbing scent is coming from.

Not far away they find most of Satomi's Pack, dead. There are probably a dozen bodies there. The trio are looking down at the field of bodies, Cora says she thinks that they may have been poisoned. Despite her earlier protests to the contrary, the were-coyote thinks, "We need to get as far from Beacon Hills as we can as soon as we can."

As they're about to leave, Jackson hears someone moving around and sees a bloody hand come from slightly further down the hill. He runs over with Cora and they discover a wounded Braeden.

**~O~**

Scott attacks a berserker only to be swatted down by the berserker and then thrown threw a series of walls. Chris attempts to box with his berserker, which gets him nowhere. The one attacking Scott, picks him up and throws him through another wall which happens to be where Violet had apparently been held. Scott crawls over to her only to discover the assassin is dead.

Chris is losing and is about to be killed, when Kate orders the berserker to the berserker seems reluctant to follow her orders, the were-jaguar roars and the berserker stops. Kate and the berserkers leave while Chris calls out rather weakly for Scott.

Scott offers Chris a hand and pulls him up. Chris apologizes, Scott assumes for not being able to kill his own sister. Scott understands not being able to kill your only sibling, even if she is a psychopathic bitch. Under the circumstances he doesn't exactly agree with it but he accepts the apology with a nod. Though he does remind the older ma that, "We're not going to find Liam."

The hunter reminds the younger man, "There's still time."

**~O~**

Lydia and Oded are at the Loft trying to figure out the final cipher key. It's the first time that the Anubite has been alone with the Banshee, since he became a de facto part of the Pack. He is actually noticing that she seems a little distracted from the problem at hand. So he reminds her, "Well we know that the other two cipher keys were people who were killed or are dead."

"Yeah but Peter was dead and now he's alive again. Technically he was only dead in the…." She hesitated to finish the sentence about the fact that the former Alpha had only been dead in the alternate timeline, but she did continue to explain to the Anubite that, "As far as I know we have already put in every supernatural that we know who has been killed."

The Anubite looks at the younger woman worriedly and says, "Are you alright?"

Lydia gives the older man a distressed look and admits that, "Meredith is the only other Banshee that I know of and I just pushed her over the edge so far that she took her own life. What does that make me?"

Oded tries to comfort the Banshee and then has a revelation as he reminds the younger woman that, "You're a Banshee, which by it's oldest definition is a predictor of death. Maybe you should try to predict the next person's death and that could be the cipher key for the last part of the list."

Lydia closes her eyes and holds her fingers over the keys, typing out what feels right. She opens her eyes to see the last part of the list decrypting swiftly to display several peoples names, including Liam, Oded, and Malia's names. Then the Banshee and the Anubite see the key code is Cora. Lydia tells Oded, "Call Parrish."

**~O~**

Liam is still trying to climb the stone wall to get out of the well. He is perspiring heavily though and it is very obvious that the wolves bane is beginning to have an effect and that he is getting sicker and weaker. He's near the top of the well now, and shouts for all he's worth. Then his eyes flash and the shout becomes his first howl. A cry that Scott can actually hear.

Liam is struggling trying to hang on to the side of the well, but he is weakening. He loses his grip and starts to fall, only to have Scott catch him at the last minute and pull the young Beta to safety. He pulls him out and hugs him to his chest as he whispers, "I heard you."

**~O~**

Scott takes Liam to Deaton and as the vet carefully makes the incision in the young Beta's chest to release the wolves bane smoke, the Alpha says harshly, "I don't want to keep watching people die."

"I don't think you have any choice in the matter," Chris says unhelpfully as he paces nearby.

Scott disagrees but even his mentor thinks that Scott is taking on too much of a burden to take everyone's life into his hands and reminds the true Alpha of something he seems to have forgotten. "There are other Alpha's in the area, even others in his own joined Pack with Derek."

Scott thoughtfully agrees but then says, "We're not letting anyone else on the dead pool doe. We're going to save everybody."

**~O~**

Stiles is sitting at the Sheriff's bedside, trying to get comfortable. The older man is wounded but resting comfortably. Mostly bruises and cracked ribs which is a lot better than the assassin he was trying to protect.

The Sheriff is mumbling and it takes a moment for the Spark to realize his father is actually awake and speaking and not just talking in his sleep. "What'd you say dad? I didn't hear you."

"He said, take him home, keep him safe and make him sleep. But he wasn't talking to you, he was talking to me," Derek said.

"Holy shit!" The teen said as the uncomfortable chair he was sitting in tipped over completely and spilled him on the floor as his chin hit the side of the hospital bed. There was a distinct clang and a clack as his jaw snapped closed. Luckily without his tongue being caught between the two neat rows of teeth.

Derek shoved the errant chair out of the way to pull his mate unceremoniously to his feet and pulled him over to the window where some light streamed in from the security lights outside.

"Ow," Stiles said plaintively as the Alpha quickly and carefully checked the other mans skin for bruising. He was already drawing pain from the Spark as he gave a very small smile and said, "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"Considering you caused it you mean…" asked Stiles before saying quickly, "Yes."

Just in case he was still in pain, the Alpha gave a barely there kiss to his Mate's lips, even as gentle fingers drew the pain from his already bruising chin. Derek tasted the slightest tang of blood and copper on the Spark's lips and he chased it.

He didn't trace Stiles tongue before he asked, "Did you bite your tongue?"

"Nah," Stiles said softly, his whole attention focused on his mate now as he admitted, "Just my gums bleeding a little bit from where they smashed together."

The Alpha looked a little guilty for a few seconds until they heard the Sheriff making some kind of noise coming from the Sheriff. Stiles listened and then snickered slightly as he didn't think his dad could really fall asleep that fast no matter what drugs they were feeding him.

When Stiles fell asleep almost the minute his butt settled into the bucket seats of the Camaro, Derek directed the car to where the Loft sat dark and quiet. Although the new Pack House was set up now it was also on the other side of the town in the Preserve. The Stilinski household while closer was still farther away than the Loft.

The older werewolf carried the teen up the stairs and up the spiral staircase to the upper floor. He efficiently removed his lovers clothing down to boxer briefs and socks. After a moments pause the Alpha stripped out of his clothes which honestly needed a good wash and climbed into bed beside his love. Letting his mate's scent wash over him, the Alpha soon followed his mate into oblivion without a second's hesitation.


	72. Chapter 72

**A/N~ So had been working on the last part of this chapter for the past three days, when the computer updated unexpectedly and erased everything I had written so far. Save religiously folks, you never know what might happen. So anyway had to redo everything from scratch but I'm actually happier with this than with what I had been doing originally. "Lemonade, people. Lemonade." Giggles. ~A**

**Chapter 69**

The evening that Malia, Jackson and Cora came in through the emergency room doors carrying the bounty hunter Braeden. Although she wouldn't even think of it till several hours later and then only after they were sure that the former Marshall would survive.

All three caught sight of the head nurse and two feminine voices call out "Aunt Mel," while the third masculine one calls out, "Help, I think she's dying." It took only a few minutes to discover the bounty hunter had been shot. How it had occurred the trio of were-creatures had no idea.

They let Parrish and the Sheriff know what they had found out in the woods though. The djinn had contacted Chris and Peter to pass on the whereabouts of the remains of Satomi's pack members discreetly.

Meanwhile the trio of teenagers were sitting in the waiting room as the doctors are performing surgery on the former U.S. Marshall.

**~O~**

Derek wakes up to find Stiles staring at him with a dazed expression on his face. It is a contented expression but as soon as he sees that Derek is awake the expression morphs into one of concern and doubt. The teen instantly reaches for the bedside table and ands the Alpha a glass of water.

Derek pulled himself up in the bed and then gives a little hiss as he realizes that certain areas of his body are still a but uncomfortable, but in a pleasant way. Stiles visibly flinches when he hears the hiss and almost immediately the download begins.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you about that. Chris and I talked, he told me he kind of had a hard time, switching things up with Peter, because of Uncle Creepers ability to heal too fast when Chris tops, so he decided to create a concoction... Well several concoctions for them for when they're having sex. So that Peter could kind of remember it, especially when he does something wrong and Chris needs to give him …some punishment and no we're not going there."

The teen drew in a deep breath here but still before Derek could say anything the Spark continued with his previous stream of thought. "I should have told you about that though because it shouldn't be about you feeling it when we're done but about you feeling good while we're doing it and after we're done. "

When Stiles finished that sentence, Derek reached out and with his forefinger and thumb pinched the younger man's lips together. He looked seriously into Stiles eyes as he asked , "Are you done?"

When the young Spark, looked a little shame-faced but nodded his head. The Alpha nodded his head but didn't remove his fingers from the magic user's lips and said seriously, "Never apologize for making love to your mate, and again making love, not having sex."

"As for the wolves bane not the first time I've been dosed with that particular drug of choice…although never that pleasantly I have to admit. Also as you discovered from my uncle and his mate, not the first time its been used for that purpose either." Then Derek gets a flash of distaste in his expression and Stiles tries to pull away thinking he had done something to displease his lover during their love-making session.

Derek only pulls Stiles closer down across his body as he wraps both arms around the young Spark. The younger man writhes to get more comfortable, a definite distraction for the werewolf. Finally Derek is able to speak again as he says, "That is the last time I want to talk about, think about or other wise have thoughts of my uncle and his love life thank you very much." Stiles laughs and wholeheartedly agrees with his lover.

**~O~**

Deaton is outside of the clinic watching it rain, when he senses someone come out of the darkness behind him. Pulling a baton from the recesses of his scrubs and begins fighting with the hooded figure that had come in behind him and was using a pair of emei piercers. They spar for a little while before he finally says in greeting. "You could have called Satomi-san," She shows him her red eyes.

Satomi and Deaton bring a member of her Pack into the clinic. As they try to position the werewolf onto the table, it's clear he's in pain and distress.

Satomi explains, "The sickness starts with fever. Then shifting become uncontrollable."

"I moved the Pack into the woods when we started shifting for no reason." She continues as Deaton begins to examine the partially shifted werewolf on the table.

"Eventually the infected, can't stand and they go blind." It is clear the Alpha is worried as she adds. "Once they go blind, they only have minutes left and then they die."

Deaton declares, "We need to get him to the hospital."

Satomi declares a little sarcastically, "That's never really been an option for our kind, unless you know something that I don't."

"Not something, but someone," Deaton declares.

**~O~**

That morning Stiles, Scott, Malia, and Kira are in line to take part in the PSAT's. They are soon joined by the twins with Aiden puling his girlfriend in close. He looks around for teachers or other adult supervision before diving in for a quick kiss from the were-coyote.

"Hey," he whispers quietly, "I missed you last night. Where were you?"

"Helping Jackson and Cora find another Pack?" When various curious expressions were turned in her direction by the other members of her Pack, only a single shake of her head and a sad expression were offered.

"That explains why they're not here. Where are Danny and Lydia though?" Kira asked as she looked around for the missing pair.

"They were both able to take the PSAT's freshman year," Scott replied helpfully.

"Does that mean we can take the test another time?" Malia asked in a desperately hopeful tone.

"What are you worried about?" Aiden asked supportively, before continuing, "Nobody here could have studied more than you for this thing."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to do good." she said nervously.

"Do well," Stiles said absently, seeing her confused expression, he further explained, "It's do well, not good."

Both Aiden and Ethan glared at the Spark as Malia said even more worriedly, "So I'm going to fail at the English and the math parts, Great!"

Then as the were-coyote is pacing in place she notices, "I smell something odd," she said as she starts sniffing around and finally hones in on Stiles scent, before saying, "Stiles why do you smell so much like Derek?"

The twins instantly zero in on the Spark followed quickly by Scott and then finally Kira, zero in on their friends scent and Ethan finally crows before hurriedly lowering his voice as he whispered, "Stiles, you got busy with the Alpha."

Scott is appalled and looks at his best friend worriedly as he denies the possibility. Stiles however has a very cheesy looking expression on his face as he agrees with the Alpha twins and the others, "Actually, yes we have made love."

He also informs the group that, "As the Alpha pair we are expected to do so and just to pass on the good examples we are. Protection and safe and sane sex practices were employed."

Everyone giggled or laughed while Scott held up both hands and said, "Ick, just ick, man." His friends reaction only made Stiles crack a grin as Scott continued, "As a friend I'm happy for you and all that but as your brother, that's something I just do not need to know."

As the students head in to get their test they mark their presence by having their fingerprint taken. As Stiles is in front of the other members of his Pack, he is the first to see the fingerprint kit and the proctor, Simon. He has a flash of the older man pointing a gun at his forehead and remembers.

The Spark remembers the older man, and his power flashes out and as the students in front of him reach for the ink pad it suddenly flies across the room to slam into the wall and shatter. Before Ms. Martin can react Stiles says, "I'll call my dad and see if we can borrow one of his ink pads for the fingerprinting."

The others follow their pack mate back out of the room and Ms. Martin knowing the signs does as well. The teen does indeed call the Sheriff and tells his father, I need you and Parrish at school, right now. Yeah and bring an ink pad from for fingerprinting."

He drags everyone into another classroom and after closing the door behind them explains, "I remember the test proctor from the other time line."

"Oh come on Stiles I think your dad was just joking about that…" Scott start with a smirk.

"I'm not joking Scott, that guy Simon, in the other timeline. He kills off or tries to a bunch of the supernatural's or at least a lot of the were's by infecting them with distemper by putting it in the ink on the inkpad for fingerprinting. I remembered him from before because he tried to blow my brains out." He looks around at the others and says vehemently, "That's not something you tend to forget."

"Even so," Ethan said doubtfully, "Don't you need proof, evidence or something."

"Yeah like the inkpad, which if what you say is true, he's probably disposed of or replaced by now. Maybe even with another one with the virus on it or one that isn't dosed depending on how confident is he won't get caught." Aiden suggested.

"He has a point," Malia offered as she leaned into her boyfriend supportively.

"That's assuming any of this might be true." Ms. Martin injected, "Before adding, "How are you going to prove he's a killer?"

"Coach," Stiles said suddenly, "Don't touch him, but he's already been infected. You can call in the CDC, that way we can get a head start and keep anybody else from being infected."

"Ok but that still won't prove this Simon guy did it," Scott offered a little desperately. "How are we going to prove that?"

"He killed Satomi's Pack, they weren't poisoned, they were infected." Stiles said definitively even as Ms. Martin hurried from the room with Ethan as an escort to coach's office.

"I remember the mushrooms are the cure. Reishii mushroom spores. There's a jar in the vault, Malia you and Kira go. Find a way to get it in the vent system. Scott call Deaton pass it on to him maybe he can save what's left of Satomi's Pack." Stiles says as he marches for the door of the classroom.

Scott asks as he makes the call, "Stiles what are you going to be doing?"

"Giving him a target," Stiles said as he deliberately headed back out of the room in the direction of the table where the proctor sat. The remains of the previous ink pad had indeed been cleaned up thoroughly not even a speck of the ink remained.

The teen very deliberately looked at the place where the inkpad had hit the wall and then looked at the proctor before glancing at the current inkpad being used. He went to the wall and leaned against it. Surprised when Aiden joined him there.

He whispered out of he side of his mouth, "What are you doing?"

"A town full of assassins, one right in front of us. You trying deliberately to draw his attention," Aiden said incredulously as he added, "What exactly do you think the Alpha do if at least one of us didn't try to talk you out of this half-assed scheme or at least tried to protect you from the fall out."

The Spark looked over at the werewolf in surprise as if it only just occurred to him what Derek might think of this plan, "OK, not my best thought out idea," he conceded before adding, "But half-assed does seem a little harsh."

Aiden just stared at the dark haired teen and raised an eyebrow. Stiles was able to hold the stare for a minute before visibly deflating. Ms. Martin came into the room, closing her phone as Ethan joined his brother in flanking the Alpha Mate against the wall. Ignoring the proctor for the moment the older woman stood at the front of the class and called the students attention to her.

"I need to know if anyone is having dizziness, feeling feverish or is experiencing signs or symptoms of a rash?" she asked.

Slowly one of the girls raised her hand, an angry red rash very obvious on her wrist, a very flushed young man in front of the class raised his hand. Another hand came up in the front and Stiles said without an eye roll, "I think she means since you got here, Greenberg."

The hand went back down but another soon took it's place. "Alright everyone stay here Continue taking the test as long as you feel up to it. We have help coming." She turned to face the proctor and Stiles made a mental note as the woman spoke to Simon. Never play poker with Lydia or her mother, her expression remained cool and collected during the conversation, giving away nothing.

When Ms. Martin left the room, Ethan fell into step with the older woman. Stiles looked at Aiden and said deliberately, "Go check on the girls, keep them safe." He didn't flash his eyes, but then with that tone of voice, he didn't have to. Aiden gritted his teeth and snarled slightly but did as he was told.

Stiles eyes zeroed in on the proctors with deliberate malice before he left the room to head down to the coaches office. Finstock was the only adult who got sick. He couldn't remember how the coach had coach had gotten sick. Once more he cursed the Swiss cheese memory. As he headed down the hall, he knew what he was going to do, he just needed a way for it to appear not so supernatural for his dad's sake.

Derek and Satomi were in the morgue waiting for Deaton and Melissa, the Alpha noticed the other Alpha staring at him and asked if there was something wrong. The older woman replied, "You just remind me so much of Talia."

"I used to visit your mother often. Not so much lately. Do you remember me visiting?" Derek nods, his eyes distant with memory.

"I remember. You always brought the tea that smelled terrible."

Satomi laughed and said that, "The tea was a gift. I only gave it to your mother because she loved it so much. She knew it's benefits, it's a powerful curative against most illness."

Derek's eyes flash and he says, "I need to call my mother."

**~O~**

Stiles is rifling through the paperwork on coaches desk. When he notices something, there are several forms on the coaches desk that are marked APPROVED, about halfway through the stack, the ink color changes from red to black. He then notices the black fingerprints on the coaches coffee cup and realizes what must have happened.

Simon catches Stiles in Finstock's office and realizes what must have happened too. "I wondered how that idiot got sick." He says as he screws a silencer into the end of his pistol. Stiles pretending to be terrified, drops the mug to the floor.

The proctor asks Stiles, "Where are your friends. I only ask because confirmation of death is necessary, or the Benefactor doesn't pay me."

He points the silenced weapon at Stiles but they're both startled when Coach coughs and seems to be rousing. Stiles is embarrassed to admit the other man recovers from the surprise more quickly than he does. As Simon pushes him through the door of the boy's locker room, Stiles does wonder how the others are coming with getting the spores into the air system.

He explains to the Spark, "The virus doesn't kill humans. So don't you think you should tell me where they are? Shouldn't one of you get to live."

"Ok sure, sure," Stiles says, still pretending to be terrified, as he continues, "I saw them in the library, no, no, I was the cafeteria. Yep, definitely the cafeteria."

Then the pretense fell away, just a little, and Stiles reminded the man, "Look, my dad's the sheriff. You don't think I know that you're not going to let me just walk away. I know how you did it. I've seen your face, your name may be fake but you can't fake your fingerprints and I have a pretty good idea o the things you've touched. Not like you can wear gloves in the middle of the PSAT's without drawing attention to yourself, right?"

"I'm going to count to three, then I'm going to kill you."

"You think you can scare me?" Stiles asks the older man. Well aware that Scott's dad wouldn't have been able to arrive yet, because he and the rest of the Pack were able to push things ahead of schedule. He believed in himself, Derek, the Pack and his Spark though.

"No I think I can kill you. I just thought the counting would make it more exciting," He holds the gun to Stiles forehead and starts to count. "You should really rethink this."

He knew this man would continue to try and kill members of his Pack. Stiles knew this man would take someone hostage and just as easily eliminate them at the earliest opportunity, unless Stiles did something about it. "No more, Mr. Nice Mom." Stiles muttered and there was a hint of a growl to his words as he spoke.

He closed his eyes as the assassin continued to count. A shot goes off, and Stiles face is splattered with blood. The teen splutters and wipes his face with the sleeve of his shirt. He stumbles slightly as he heads to the door of the locker room. He is met there by an equally wobbly and infinitely more pale Coach Finstock.

"Bilinski!" He cries and then looking past the younger man, sees the mess left on the floor, "Jesus Christ kid, what happened here?"

"He tried to kill me," Stiles says letting a little of his inner turmoil show. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to keep his inner Spark down as he concluded, "He missed." He pushed by Finstock even as the still pale looking teacher dove for the nearby trash can and emptied the meager contents of his stomach into the receptacle.

**~O~**

Derek sensing his mate's distress through their bond, tells Satomi, "I have to get to the school." The pair leave the morgue, as they head for the elevator, a new, nameless assassin in a red coat appears. She fires at Satomi, and Derek jumps in the way.

The older woman didn't need the assistance though. As she dodges around the bullets and uses her piercer to stab the girl in the neck. She turns to the others who have come out of the morgue to see what is happening. "I may have learned to control my anger, but I still know when to use it."

**~O~**

Stiles heads down to the boiler room where everyone has apparently decided to meet up after the disaster, or perhaps averted disaster.

They're all appalled by his appearance and he has to explain what happened including letting the assassin, fire at him, and believing it into a misfire.

Scott is horrified and tells his bestie, "Stiles you killed someone,"

"No Scott," Stiles says staring at his friend as he replies, "I just didn't stop him from firing the gun."

"Stiles we have powers…" Scott began.

"Spare me the great responsibilities speech, Scott." Stiles said harshly, "He had a gun, and a virus that he unleashed on a school full of kids and he didn't care who he killed as long as he got paid. Forgive me but I'm not going to mourn his loss all that much in the grander scheme of things. He tried to kill my Pack, my family, nobody messes with that. Human or not, he wasn't an innocent."

Stiles accepts the rag that Aiden tosses at him, only to have Kira take it away as she reminds him, "They're probably going to want to run some tests for gunshot residue and stuff like that."

The group leave the boiler room, with Scott lagging behind looking somewhat chastened. The students are released from the classroom looking for their parents. The school had been put on lockdown by the CDC, no calls in or out so as not to start a panic. So of course everyone in Beacon Hills knew all about the incident.

The Sheriff and Derek rush into the school at the same time as Mrs. Martin rushes out into her daughter's arms. Lydia givers her mother a big hug, as Natalie apologizes and explains that, "I was just trying to get a little overtime."

Stiles is so deep in his own head space that he doesn't notice as they are headed down the hall. The others including Scott notice though, that there are several other students and Mr. Yukimura waiting for them. He also doesn't notice that these students join them and make a veritable wall around the Beacon Hill Pack members as they walk toward the exit.

The Sheriff yells, "Stiles," as he catches sight of his son. Derek doesn't bother to speak, he is running toward the younger man, and mindless of the blood for just a minute he grabs the other man and holds him close. The teen pulls Derek closer to him with one arm.

His father approaches a little more slowly, he sees the blood smeared on his son's face and while Stiles looks dazed and possibly a little in shock, he seems unhurt. He holds his arms out and Stiles goes in for the hug, John holds him a little more gently than usual.

Stiles though as both arms around his dad as he explains, "It was him or me dad." That was all he had to say. The group left the building together.

**~O~**

Mary was headed toward the school, luckily it was on her street. When she heard the sound of engines behind her and without looking she knew exactly who was pulling up behind her. She turned her head and sure enough, there were the three former leaders of the Cassidy Pack.

"Need a ride," Lane said cockily.

Mary though answered waspishly, "I know you know your Pack and family members are here and you may not be as in the know as the locals, but are you aware they have locked down the high school because of some sort of outbreak situation?"

"So?" the Alpha said wrinkling his brow, "We don't usually get human illnesses."

"Never said it was a human illness, Lane." she said as she turned around to start walking to the high school again.

JJ however, showed obvious concern as he responded, "Joseph is in there." Without another word he rode up beside Mary and offered her his hand. She climbed on behind the younger man and put the helmet on that he handed back to her.

The pair rode off together as the other two quickly followed. JJ looked like a party boy but when it came to his kids, he was a badass.

Once they arrived at the school they were regulated to a waiting area with the other parents. Lane though had managed to wrangle himself and Mary away from the crowd for the most part. Mary you know that I have nothing against the Hales. Talia Hale herself is very well known, I just find it a little hard to accept that my wife, would rather follow an accidental Alpha and his teenaged human Mate. What's the benefit?"

They heard the doors to the school open and suddenly cheers went up all around. They both looked up to see the group of kids, and adults coming out of the school. Among them the Sheriff, Derek, Finstock, several members of the Beacon Hills pack, the Hale Pack, and the Cassidy Pack, all together and there in the middle looking a little shell shocked was Stiles.

"That right there is why I chose them." Mary said.

Joseph saw that the others got to their families safe. He saw his father and walked swiftly into his arms. The older man seemed to fold over and around his teenaged son, there were mumbled words between the two. Then Blu appeared out of the crowd, the two smaller children clinging to their mom. She smiled tearfully at the pair and pulled the two men into her embrace, the fierce mama wolf hugging them to her protectively.

"My little Spark has quite the influence on his surroundings even if he doesn't recognize it yet." Mary concluded as she walked away from Cassidy to where the EMT's, local law enforcement, and CDC had set up.


	73. Chapter 73

**A/N~ Ok so this chapter definitely has a T- warning if for nothing more than nudity and language warnings. As well as implied sexual situations. Both M/M and M/F, so at least I'm an equal opportunity debaucher. For those who are going to ask, yes the Beacon Hills house has been completed and now Mary is having another house built for her "former" pack mates. They still use the loft for guest style situations though. ~A**

**Chapter 70**

Stiles is in his room asleep, after the incident with the Chemist, his father had requested some time with his son. So for the past several nights Stiles has been dealing with the nightmares being caused by being away from his mate and dealing with his feelings over having to kill the Chemist.

Mary is aware of his nightmares even if his father isn't so far. She had offered him a special tea to keep him from dreaming. He had asked her, "Will it make me forget?"

She admits, "No, it won't." and he begs off. Right now he is tossing and turning. Caught in the throes of another horrifying dream about having killed the assassin, known as the Chemist.

He awakens barely containing the scream of terror as he sees a shadow move in the darkened corner of his room. Only to find it's Derek sitting in his desk chair in the corner of his room. He starts to speak when the Alpha stands and strips down to nothing.

"Derek?" Stiles asks worriedly as he climbs into bed with the Spark. His joke of, "You do know dad got the wolves bane bullets from Chris already right?"

"If your father doesn't realize there are times when we need each other then its about time he learns," He pulls Stiles closer, and without another word, holds him as the younger man falls back finally into a dreamless sleep.

**~O~**

Rafe McCall is in the sheriff station packing up what's left of the assassins gun. He has finished his report on the incident at the school. The report says the damaged gun had backfired and that was the cause of the damage to the weapon and the death of the assailant.

He comes out of the office to find Scott there waiting fro him. He apologizes to his son for having to leave for San Francisco that night as it means he will miss the first lacrosse game of the season. Scott tells him, "Dad, it's fine. It's no big deal."

Rafe says, "It is for me. I'm keeping my promises this time around."

Scott looks at the gun and asks his dad, "Have you ever had to kill anyone?"

The agent replies that he has. "Every time it was to save someone else or myself."

"Was there another way you could have stopped it before it got that far?"

"No, Scott you can't think that way. You don't usually have that much time to make that decision and if you take the time someone may end up dead. You or someone else, " the older man says clearly disturbed with the way this conversation is going. Scott seems reluctant to believe his father but doesn't say anything more on the subject.

They hug and Rafe tells him, When I get back, we're having a talk,"

When Scott looks confused he explains, "You and your friends are way too okay about the horrible things that have been happening around you." He didn't say it out loud but he thought, it's like they expect it. Like they think they deserve it. Rafe continued, "It's like you guys know something I don't, when I get back I'd like to be in the know."

**~O~**

**A few days later:** Scott, Liam, Kira and Stiles are in Scott's kitchen with three laptops. Stiles is clearly on the phone with Danny who has taken Ethan to meet his grandmother. Clearly this is a major ritual among the Malehaeni Clan and it had been going well. Until Stiles called in the middle of dinner to get hacking advice from the Hawaiian teen.

Liam questions whether, "Do you think this might be a little too dangerous."

Scott asks, "Is facing down an assassin on your own is any less dangerous?"

Stiles glares impotently at his friend as he adds, "Actually the plan is borderline idiotic."

"Have you guys done something like this before?" Liam asks.

"Something dangerous or something idiotic?" Stiles asks.

"I think it's a yes to both," Kira responds.

Scott tells Liam that, "You can duck out,"

Liam claims not to be afraid.

Stiles claps the younger teen on the shoulder and says, "Congratulations, you're borderline idiotic, then."

Stiles warns them, "If we go through with the plan, we don't know what's coming."

Kira asks, "How do we know that anything is coming?"

Scott reminds them, "The tapes that the Orphans and the Chemist had both mentioned that visual confirmation was required."

Stiles joins in the explanation, "The idea is that if you kill someone on the dead pool but you can't send the proof, the Benefactor will come and get the proof themselves, especially if its someone high on the list." As he explains it's clear that Stiles is nervous about this plan.

**Later that night: **Someone is pulled from the ambulance and rushed into the ER, and Liam's dad hurries into the exam room. They start trying to revive the victim, drugs are given, CPR and other methods are applied, but after a shock from the paddles he is still asystole. They try again, but the doctor calls the time of death at 21:02. He pulls back and tells the staff to call Melissa and Scott is the victim on the table.

**~O~**

The scene opens in what is clearly a teen boys room. A young couple are clearly making out on the bed. Math text books are kicked haphazardly off the bed as their activities become even more athletic. They come up for air and we see that it is Aiden and Malia, they seem to be pausing to catch a breath and reposition themselves into a more comfortable, cuddling position.

"So I've been trying to ask you all night," Malia asked as she put up a hand to fend off another set of kisses from the blond teen. He huffs sigh before sitting up to look down at the were-coyote.

She raised up on an elbow, so that they were more on a level, and as the sheet slid down her bare torso temptingly, Aiden found himself distracted again. "…ust fuck buddies?"

"Uh oh?" Aiden thought as he scrambled to figure out what his girlfriend had been talking about but knew no matter what he said, from the sound of the subject matter, the Alpha Twin was probably screwed and not in the good way. He opened his mouth and was a little surprised he said with a perfectly straight face asked, "I'm sorry could you repeat that?"

This time it was Malia's turn to huff in frustration but she repeated for the benefit of her guy, "I asked if you thought, we were in a relationship or just fuck buddies?"

"You've been talking to Allison again, haven't you?" Aiden said with a surprising lack of exasperation in his voice, considering the exact amount of frustration he was feeling.

He cupped the younger woman's face and said very succinctly, "I am not currently dating, fucking, or sniffing after anyone else but you Malia. That's more committed than I've ever been before with anyone. You are my girlfriend, and yes possibly my mate as well. Although considering this whole relationship thing is new, I'm…" Here he considered his words carefully before concluding, "I'm going to reserve judgment until we're both sure its what we want from each other. Is that a good enough answer?"

Apparently it was since Malia pounced him, very enthusiastically. Which was okay since he did some pouncing of his own, right back.

**~O~**

Braeden wakes up alone in Derek's former bed in the Loft and notices Cora is sleeping on the couch. "Derek is apparently staying with Stiles again this evening." she thought to herself. She moved quietly to the younger woman's side and tried to examine the wounds the younger girl had received on her side from Brett when they were trying to help him. Only to have her wrists grabbed by the Beta without seeming to wake up. Cora then asks her what she thinks she's doing. "Protecting my investment." Cora humors the older woman who then asks her "Why aren't you healing?"

Cora replies that, "Some wounds take longer to heal."

"And some leave scars but not for people like you." the former Marshall responded.

"Maybe I'm just tired," Cora answers as she rolls over to face away from the other woman.

"Cora show me your eyes." Braeden commands.

"You just saw them," the Beta says tiredly.

Braeden doesn't give up though and demands the younger woman, "Show me your real eyes."

Cora finally turns to face her but is unable to flash her eyes at the older woman.

Braeden asks, "What's really going on?"

**~O~**

Lane has gathered the Pack children together for the Cassidy Pack. This involved a surprising amount of begging and pleading of the pack mothers, who now considered Mary more of the Pack leader than him. He didn't begrudge her that as a matter of fact, he was completely understanding of it. He was curious though why they considered the human Stilinski a leader at school and not the McCall boy. Although it did seem to be a binary thing, the two seemed to be rather interchangeable.

The Stilinski boy though seemed rather unassuming, and while Lane knew the boy was a Spark and under Mary's exceptional tutelage, the boy wasn't what one would call showy about the whole magic thing. Actually as far as Lane could see the boy seemed to not have shown his power at all. Although the Alpha was suspicious of the death of the PSAT proctor, who had been trying to poison the were's taking the test.

So his plan was to ask the younger Pack members about the matter. Of course many of them were still too young to have been in the high school. Since they were currently staying n various safe places around town while the Twin House was being finished however, there had been incidences around the town.

There had been the incidence outside the middle school. One of JJ and Blu's younger children and two of the other young Pack members had been in an altercation with some older children. Luna, JJ's second oldest, Ivy Webster and Leif Webster the only survivors of their family had been attacked by a small group of older children.

Ivy was untested at this point but according to her brother and Mary, she was a genius. Her scores and the scores of several of the other pack members had thrown the hierarchy off what the other students had been used to and it hadn't made the kids popular.

The result had been that Ivy had actually been thrown into traffic by the older kids. Luckily right into the path of the Spark and True Alpha. What ensued was something the younger werewolves still had trouble articulating about, without a lot of "Awesome's!" and "Cool's" thrown in for good measure. That and of course the pack kids hadn't been messed with again but were now totally integrated into one of the cliques at school.

As well as Luna having a crush on one or the other of the two young men. It seemed to vary on a daily basis which it was. That kettle of fish he was going to leave to JJ and Blu to settle though. There were things Alpha's were allowed to mettle in, a preteen girls heart wasn't one of them. He was an Alpha for heaven's sake, not a child psychologist.

So the Cassidy Alpha made a decision, gathering his two lieutenants he headed to the Hale House. A meeting between himself and Alpha Talia Hale was actually long overdue and he was surprised the other Alpha hadn't called him out over it. Normal protocol was for an Alpha to request asylum when entering another Pack's territory. Cassidy's Pack had been here for several months unmolested. If it had been Lane he rather doubted he would have been as forgiving.

He had been thoughtful enough to call ahead and so when they walked up to the house. They were met at the edge of the yard by two older men. One of whom was human. He noticed the scorch marks but said nothing. The human was an observant one though and said, "The Alpha leaves those there as a reminder of the night we almost lost everything if not for the kindness of strangers." He said even as his wolf companion touched one scorch mark on the door jam, for all the world as if it were a spiritual ritual. Lane was a little horrified to realize the mark was shaped like a hand.

They were led into an office, very much the space set aside for a lawyer. Law books were lined up in shelves on two of the walls in the paneled room. A bay window looked out over the backyard and into the woods of the Preserve. The woman who sat at the desk was in a dress blouse with her blazer hung on a hanger on the coat rack beside the door.

The woman was tanned and athletic looking, her black hair arranged into a chignon. Her face as far as Lane could tell was free of make-up but she still looked regal. She looked up from the paperwork she was studying and gave them a warm smile as she rose.

She extended her hand and said, "Gentlemen, please take a seat. How can I help you?"

"Alpha Hale, I'm aware this is highly irregular, but I would formally like to request asylum here in your territory until such time as I can reclaim my Pack." Lane said in a semi-formal tone.

The woman gazed at him with a benign smile as she said. "I'm afraid I can't do that Alpha Cassidy."

Lane was stunned and suddenly near panic. He had heard of this happening before but usually only with much more aggressive packs or even Alpha Packs. The opposing Pack would kill the Alpha and then decimate their Pack down to the youngest member.

"I can't give you asylum, Alpha Cassidy because my son has already extended that gift to your Pack. Surely he mentioned it to you?" she asked with a raised brow.

Embarrassed and relived were an odd combination to experience as Lane admitted, "I actually haven't had the opportunity."

"How strange considering your mate is his mates teacher." Talia said in her husky tones. Which did absolutely nothing to reduce his level of embarrassment.

Lane however was a man who could land on his feet. "If I may ask Alpha Hale, and I accept you may be biased, what kind of man is your son."

There was a slight aura of crimson in the other Alpha's eyes. "My son is a different man than the one I raised now, Alpha Cassidy. He is stronger, steadier, and yet better than he was when he was younger." She stood and walked to the bay window before she continued.

"At least part of it is due to his mate, but there is something else there as well. None of my other family members understood the part of this families heritage that Derek now does." Talia said absently, her eyes distant, "That protecting this territory and those within it is a privilege that is a hard won task. My son has taken up that right and with any luck he and his Pack will persevere."

Her words sent a frisson of foreboding down his spine and the Alpha and his lieutenants didn't stay long after that. Once again the Alpha felt his newly rejuvenated fight or flight response kick in. His first instinct especially considering his fairly recent release from incarceration.

Then he remembered strangely enough and without even having to ask or look around he had acquired a support system, ready made in this town. One that was apparently already working to keep his Pack safe. One he hated to admit that he may have to grovel a little to maintain. Something he knew he actually deserved to have to do. Which meant he needed to show he could keep up his role of Alpha.

It reminded the Alpha that he really needed to get back into his business. Victoria and her hunters had tried to sell off his business. Unfortunately that sort of thing needed to be done with courts and clerks and notaries. People not easily fooled into believing drugged up and tortured looking men were selling their business's under their own volition.

He had left the business under men he trusted with good business acumen. Still though it gave him pleasure to be working, a sense of accomplishment and an excellent income, other things that would benefit his pack. As well as the fact that several of them had been employed by his conglomerate of medical and scientific research firms.

He wondered how much it might cost to transfer a business from the east coast to a small town in Northern California, or even if it could be done. Lane figured there was only one way he was going to find out. He started making some phone calls.

**~O~**

Back at the loft Braeden has finished putting a dressing on the wound in Cora's side. The bounty hunter warned the werewolf, Don't let that wound get infected. The teen pulls her shirt back down as Braden asks, Are all of your werewolf powers gone?"

"Hearing, smell, speed, healing everything." Cora admitted reluctantly.

"Strength?"

"I can still win a fight." Cora said prideful.

Braeden then challenges her to an arm wrestling match, which Cora accepts more to humor the older woman than anything. The former Marshall counts to two and then uses both hands to slam the other woman's hand down.

"You cheated. That's cheating!" Cora says clearly flabbergasted.

Braeden responded, "When you're a human facing off against the supernatural. You learn to bend the rules."

She explains, "I'm going to teach you how to bend."

**~O~**

Back in the hospital, Liam's dad tells Melissa what happened and she screams and collapses.

**~Flashback~**

**Earlier in the day: **Scott is reclining on his bed. Liam is pacing back and forth agitatedly. Kira and Noshiko meanwhile are standing near the bed.

Kira watches a little nervously and suggests, "Maybe we should tell Liam that everything is going to be alright."

Scott reassures, "Liam everything is going to be fine."

Liam asks Noshiko, "So you've done this before, right?".

She responds that, "I've seen it done."

"Is that just as good.?" asks the increasingly distressed Beta.

"No."

Kira admonishes her mother, "You're not exactly inspiring confidence here, mom."

Noshiko warns them, You need to understand that this plan is dangerous and stupid."

Kira asks a little irritably, "Would you prefer we do it without you?"

Noshiko finally gives in, "Alright. Hold your hands over Scott's heart.

Kira reaches out tentatively but Scott grabs her hand first. He asks Noshiko, "What will it feel like when I'm out."

Noshiko replies, "It may feel like you're dreaming."

"Will it be a good dream or a bad dream?" Scott asks.

Noshiko replies, "I suppose that will depend on you."

Not terribly reassured, by his girlfriends motherly pep talk, Scott lays back. Kira puts her hand over his heart and electrocutes him. The bedside lamp receives some of the feedback from her efforts and explodes sending sparks flying.

**~Flashback Ends~**

**Present: **Melissa, still sobbing, walks into the morgue and stands beside Scott. "I still hate this plan," she says fidgeting agitatedly as she looks at her son. Stiles, Derek, Noshiko, Liam and Kira are there with her.

The head nurse complains, This is terrifying. He really looks dead." Understanding the other mothers reaction. Noshiko takes Melissa's hand and puts it on Scott's chest above his heart. Eventually she feels a heartbeat and asks, "Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?"

Derek reassures her, "Its enough to keep an Alpha alive."

"Then why didn't you do it?" Melissa asks a little waspishly. The fear for her son obvious.

"I was but Scott volunteered, he said he was the one who trusted Kira and her power the most so it should be him." Derek explained clearly uncomfortable with the decision as well.

Noshiko reminds them, "We only have 45 minutes though."

"What happens after 45 minutes," Liam asks and all of the others look really uncomfortable.

Derek finally admits to the baby Beta, "Or Scott dies for real."

**~O~**

Stiles meets up with Chris and Peter in the basement of their building. The older pair contact the Benefactor via the dark net and report that Scott is dead.

"That's your assassin speak?" Stiles gripes.

"I said, he's dead. What more do you want?" Chris asks, obviously irritated for being questioned.

"It was a little dry. You could have said something like, "Target has been neutralized. The crow flies at midnight." Chris is clearly unimpressed, Peter being the as usual irreverent mentions, "I think you've watched too many movies Stiles.

They get a reply that "visual confirmation is required."

Chris and Stiles both go to type at the same time, after the equivalent f the who's going to lead" dance quandary, Chris finally lets Stiles do the work as he dictates. "Visual confirmation isn't possible and the police are coming to claim the body in 40 minutes." The Benefactor merely repeats that visual confirmation is required for payment.

Chris starts getting into the role and gets pissed, much to Peter's amusement. "A high value target on the list is dead. I killed him. If the wire transfer isn't complete in forty minutes…" Chris takes over when Stiles can't keep up, "then I'm coming after you."

**~O~**

At the hospital Chris attaches a transmitter to the security cameras then calls Stiles on his wristwatch phone. Stiles, Liam and Kira are in a hospital room with their three laptops. Derek is standing there looking over his mate's shoulder at the screen. They are set up to receive video feed from the security cameras around the hospital. At Chris' signal, Stiles hit's a button and all of the feeds come up.

**~Dream Sequence~**

Scott wakes up into a dream. He has to crawl out of one of the drawers in the morgue. He falls out of the ever lengthening tunnel into a hallway in the school. He finds Liam at the school and the younger teen throws a lacrosse ball at him, which Scott catches using his werewolf abilities to do so.

"That's why you're team captain," the Beta says before running off down another hall. The True Alpha follows him into a classroom.

Instead of finding the younger werewolf though he finds a laptop apparently with the dead pool code on it. He hesitates for a minute and then enters his own name as the key code, and it reveals, The Mute, the Orphans and the Chemist.

Scott says, "I can't do it, I can't kill them."

Liam suddenly appears beside him and says, "Somebody has to."

Scott asks, "Why does it have to be me?"

Liam answers, "Because you're the True Alpha."

Scott replies, "But I'm not a murderer."

"No but you are a predator." Liam answers.

"No we're predators, but we don't have to be… we don't have to be…" He isn't able to quite finish quoting Derek.

He turns and the Mute is standing there preparing to kill Liam. Even as the younger teen begs, "Scott! Help me!" The Alpha can only watch as the Mute once again raises his finger to shush Scott and then kills the Beta.

**~Dream Ends~**

Chris stands in the middle of a hallway in the hospital. He checks his watch which has a timer counting down. Scott has 28 minutes left before he dies.

Melissa and Noshiko are outside in the parking lot watching as people come in.

The head nurse watches as one of the clients who comes in every week with a new self-diagnosis walks past the pair.

Melissa asks Noshiko, "Why are we asking our kids to fight these kinds of fights every week. They're just kids"

"Because otherwise we'd be telling them to run and hide every week." Noshiko replies.

Stiles, Kira and Liam are watching the camera feeds when one on the roof goes out. "I'll go check it out," Kira volunteers.

"It might not be a malfunction." Stiles reminds her.

She pulls out her sword and Liam volunteers, "I'll go with you."

"And you're both coming back, right? Immediately!" Stiles calls out after them. Derek just gazes at his mate with a knowing look on his face and a little smile. Stiles merely shakes his head at his mate a little and mutters, "Kids. And I'm not being the mom here."

He wait's a beat and looks back up at Derek and seeing the smile had grown into a full on grin, says, "I'm totally being the mom here." as he continues to study the feed from the hospitals cameras.

He glances back up as he hears Derek smothered chuckles and gives a mock scowl as he huffs, "Shut up."

**~O~**

Lydia is up at the lake house exploring the boat house. When she hears a floorboard creaking behind her, and quickly grabs an oar and spins around ready to defend herself. It turns out to be her mother.

Natalie wants to know, "Why are you up at the lake house all of the time now. Are you still having wild parties? Or are you meeting boys up here."

Lydia tells her mother, "I'm trying to figure something out, and honestly Mom you don't need to be involved in every single detail of my life."

Natalie tells her daughter, "I just want to help if I can."

Lydia gives in and shows her mother a picture of Meredith that she found. To her surprise her mother claims to recognize the other girl.

**~Dream Sequence~**

Scott wakes up again in the morgue fridge and begins the long crawl through the tunnel. Once again he crawls out into the middle of a school hallway and once again meets Liam. This time when Liam throws the ball at him, when Scott catches it his claws are extended. Liam suggests, "That's why you're the Alpha."

Suddenly Scott is in the bathroom looking at himself in the mirror. He' notices that he seems to have more fangs than he should. He fingers them mystified. He had noticed during the quarantine at the school but, "I don't know what it means."

Liam suggests, "It might mean he's becoming more of a werewolf."

Scott thinks, "Or it might mean I'm becoming more of a monster."

Liam counters, "I'm sure it just means you're growing."

There's a thud and then the Mute's mechanical voice says, "Evolving."

Scott turns and Liam falls forward into his arms with an axe in his back.

**~Dream Ends~**

Kira and Liam go onto the roof and encounter Berserkers. The transformer on the roof explodes, knocking out the power to the building.

Downstairs Chris stalks through the hallways of the building. Stiles comes up behind him and Chris pulls a gun on the Spark. Stiles freezes for a split second as the memory of the last time a man pulled a gun on him flashes in his mind. He reports, "When we lost power, we lost the cameras."

Chris tells him, "Go back and stay with Scott. Text me if you see or hear anything." According to Chris' watch, Scott has 18 minutes left.

**~O~**

In the loft Cora and Braeden are still talking, the former Marshall puts a Sig Sauer down in front of the Beta. "I don't like guns" the teen admits.

"Because you haven't ever used one." Braeden reassures.

"Nope, I'm pretty sure it's because I've been threatened with them, shot at by people holding them and oh yeah let's not forget shot with them, a couple of times." the Beta wisecracks.

Braeden pops the clip out as she explains to Cora, "The legal clip size in California is 10. You should always keep track of how many bullets you have fired. Because running out of bullets can not only get you killed but also make you look like an idiot." She grabs the other woman's hand and puts the gun in it.

Cora continued to look very reluctant to learn any of this but continued to humor the older woman. Braeden continues to explain how to use the weapon effectively. "Shooting is more than pointing the gun and pulling the trigger."

She backed away from Cora as she explained, "The average person can move 21.1 feet in 1.5 seconds. Which means that someone can gut you before you can get a shot off. With a gun, you need distance." She steps away a few feet and tells Cora to take a shot at her. As the teen timidly raises the gun, Braeden steps in, grabs the gun and twists it out of Cora's hand.

"So yeah, that helped, not at all." Cora says, clearly embarrassed. Braeden hands the gun back and has her try again. Again the Marshall disarms the werewolf. Cora sighs and asks to try one more time.

"I can do this all day," Braeden says.

The teen moves in closer and stares Braeden in the eyes and then glances over the other woman's shoulder and says, "Oh hi guys," Braeden throws a startled look over her shoulder and Cora quickly overpowers her taking the gun and pressing it into the other woman's abdomen.

"You cheated," the Marshall said aghast that she fell for such an old trick.

Cora merely shrugged as she returned the weapon, "Guess I'm learning to bend."

**~O~**

On the hospital roof Liam and Kira take on the berserker. Liam attacks and the berserker throws the young Beta into a chain link fence. Kira tries and the berserker, punches her, beating her down, which forces her into a flashback.

**~Flashback Begins~**

She and Scott are talking on his bed. She asks him, "Aren't you worried?"

Scott replies, "I was just thinking how we haven't been on an actual date yet."

She reminds him, "It's not exactly like we've had the time."

"I think we should make the time." Scott said thoughtfully.

"Even though people are dying all around us?" Kira asks.

Scott agrees, "Yeah, maybe we can wait until after people stop dying." They agree to see a movie and then start to kiss.

Kira wakes up to Liam kneeling over her, calling her name.

**Meanwhile: **Melissa and Noshiko are walking down the hall looking for the others. They've already checked where the kids were set up with their laptops only to find the computers dead because of the power outage, but no teens.

Suddenly people are running past them, screaming. As a berserker appears at the end of the hall. Melissa asks Noshiko, "Are you still a kitsune?"

"Technically." She replies rather tentatively.

"Run?" Melissa asks. "Run!" Noshiko agrees. They take off down the hall together.

Liam and Kira are still fighting the Berserker on the roof of the hospital. Liam gets up on higher ground and attacks again. Derek is suddenly there on the roof and roars a challenge at the Berserker.

**~O~**

Stiles is pacing in the morgue, trying to call Chris. Suddenly the former hunter comes flying through the doors. He tells Stiles, "Run!" As Kate comes through the door after him. Stiles doesn't run, instead he stares at Kate.

"Get out of the way Stiles I'm taking the body."

"Why? Visual confirmation?" Stiles demands. Kate startles badly but tells them, "I'm not the Benefactor."

Chris asks, "What do you want with Scott then?" The were-jaguar can't or won't answer. Chris rushes forward unexpectedly and puts a gun to her jaw. She smiles at him, "I always forget you carry two."

**~O~**

Peter and Malia are in the family vault. "Shouldn't we be helping the others."

"We should and we will," Peter explains that, "Chris and I had discussed this. We arranged some time ago to find as many of the records of her adoption as we could. We wanted to give them to you tonight." He proceeds to open a safe and hands her a file. Inside are her adoption records, which indicates she was abandoned. He tells her, "If it had been up to the two of us, you would have both been with the both of us the entire time. We would have been the family we are meant to be."

**~O~**

Cora is standing in the loft, Braeden has left the loft to take care of some business, make several phone calls that sort of thing. The Beta is staring at the table where Braeden had pulled out an incredible arsenal and placed the array of guns on the table. She had then proceeded to show Cora everything.

Which ammunition went with what gun, how to load each gun, how to aim, how to lead with the gun, the proper stance for holding each weapon. To top it all off she had promised to show the younger werewolf how to clean each weapon, how to take down and then reassemble each weapon. If they had the time, when she got back, she was going to take the younger girl to do some target shooting at the local range.

The young Beta stared at the weapons before her on the table, it seemed almost obscene the number of things humans had created to destroy each other and the other inhabitants of the planet they were floating around on. She had never thought of herself as a proponent of gun control, this made her rethink her morals on the subject.

Even as she completed the thought instinct kicked in and she raised one of the guns, clicked the safety off and chambered a round. The gun was aimed at the door, Jackson was standing there in the doorway. The oiled track not giving him away, her constant awareness of the presence of her mate her only warning.

Quickly she clicked the safety back on and lowered the weapon. Jackson's only response to the threat had been a raised eyebrow as his girlfriend drew down on him. "Honey, I'm home?" Cora merely put the weapon back on the table before she started to walk around to greet him.

"What's all this?" Jackson said as he came further into the loft to look at the table. "That…is an impressive amount of hardware I have to say." The lacrosse co-captain said in an impressed tone of voice.

They're Braeden's. She was teaching me how to use them. It's a lot to take in," Cora said as she moved to stand closer to him as if she had suddenly caught a chill. Instinctively the Beta pulled his partner closer to him so he could share his warmth.

"I'll bet. So what prompted the lesson?" He suspected, having already seen some of the effects of whatever it was that Kate had done to his mate, but he knew she needed to actually say it to make it real for the both of them. To make it something they could actually talk about. He simply held her there until she was ready.

"I'm not getting better, whatever it is Kate did to me it's still going on," she held up her hand, but nothing happened, her claws didn't extend. She tried to shift into Beta mode but again there was no reaction from her body. "Guess I'm reverting to human."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Jackson said a little insulted. "After all most of the Pack now used to be human. Issac, Erica, Boyd, me, even Lydia and Jordan used to be human. Mrs. McCall, the Sheriff, even Argent and Allison are all still human."

"If we're sure it's going to be an issue, we can always get your brother or even your Mom to give you the bite. After all we already know that you can be a werewolf so its not like your body would reject the bite. It's going to be okay Cor. I know it is." The girl merely rolled her eyes as she turned in his embrace to stare once more at the weapons on the table.

"How could you possibly know that?" even though her voice was still brusque there was hope there in her scent.

Jackson, now holding her to his chest, whispered into her ear, "Because the universe wouldn't give you to this loser, only to take you away from me again."

He said nuzzling into her neck. She put a hand behind her on his waist to pull him closer and then her instincts kicked in and her hand went to the weapons on the table. She paused though as his fingers tightened on her hips and he scented the air as he answered her unasked question, "It's Braeden. You're still in there wolf girl. We'll get you back. I'm actually looking forward to these lessons though. Personally I think all of us could benefit from a little cross training, Human wolf, other, even Stiles. Whatever he is."

Cora smacked her boyfriends arm with the back of her hand as Braeden came through the door. Eyebrow raised as she said, "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all, just waiting for Phase 2 of your lesson plan Professor." Jackson said as he released his girlfriend and moved to stand beside her at the table.

**~O~**

In the boat house Lydia's mom gets an urn down from a shelf. Natalie explains to Lydia, "These are your grandmothers ashes." She also tells her, Your grandmother died in Eichen House." Natalie explained further, "Your father had a difficult relationship with Grandma Martin. After the things she said, we thought she was crazy. She said she heard things," Natalie concluded.

Lydia asks, "And why are the ashes in the boat house?"

Her mom explains, "Grandma Martin wanted her ashes scattered across the lake." "But she left instructions that she wanted you to do it on your eighteenth birthday." Natalie reminded her daughter, "You'll be eighteen in a couple of weeks. I figure now is close enough, don't you think?" she asks as she hands her daughter the urn.

The pair go out on the dock, Lydia opens the urn but finds mountain ash inside instead of ashes. Taking a handful she throws it toward the water, instead of going into the water it makes a line across the end of the dock. Sealing the lake house in.

**~O~**

Chris shoves the gun deeper into Kate's neck and tells her, "You need to back off."

She asks him, "do you really think you can pull the trigger fast enough?"

Chris tells his sister, "I don't want to kill you Kate, but you're also not taking Scott's body."

Stiles suggests, "I have an idea why don't we all go outside. Maybe have a cup of coffee?"

Finally as a last ditch effort, they explain their plan to Kate. They insist to the former hunter that they're after the Benefactor not her. Stiles asks, "Kate just go away so we can find out who the Benefactor is and maybe put an end to this whole dead pool business. Just let the plan play out. This would also be a benefit to you since you happen to be on the list too. Two million dollars, the last time I checked." Kate checks the time on Chris's watch, they have three minutes left.

**~Dream Sequence~**

Scott wakes up for a third time in the morgue fridge. He crawls out into the school hallway. This time when Liam says, "Catch." Scott catches a tomahawk covered in blood. Scott looks down at Liam who is whimpering and also covered in blood. "Why'd you do that?" Liam asks.

The Mute takes Scott's arm and says through the device, "Let me help you, let me show you how." Then directs Scott to strike at Liam. Scott attacks and splatters his face with Liam's blood. He roars and seems pleased.

**~O~**

Scott surges back to life with a yell, his eyes glowing scarlet. Kira hugs him and Stiles looks relieved.

Scott asks, "Did it work?" and looks at Stiles, Derek and Chris who look away without answering.

Liam runs into the room and looks at Kira. "It's your mother, she's hurt." Melissa is cradling Noshiko, who has a large gash in her side. Liam's dad once again runs up to help.

**~O~**

Stiles returns home to find Malia in his room. "So how did it go?" she asked as she studied the copy of the dead pool that had been taped to Stiles case board.

"Not great," he then proceeded to explain what happened with the Benefactor not showing up, Kate actually showing up along with at least one or two of her Berserkers. As well as Noshiko getting injured by one of them.

Malia in turn tells him about her talk with Peter and how they've been bonding. She says she's actually happy about that, it's just now with her relationship with Aiden and Peter she feels more human than coyote and she's just not sure how she feels about that. The were-coyote tapes the list back to the case board and leaves. Stiles stares at the list in particular focused on Derek's name on the list.

**~O~**

Scott and Kira are in Kira's room. Kira explains, "My mom is being taken to Palo Alto. We think she's going to be okay but she doesn't heal like she used to. Kira adds, "I need to go be with my mom right now."

Scott is okay with that, he explains to the kitsune, "I need to go back to the hospital anyway. .Apparently there's a LOT of paperwork when you've been declared dead when you're actually not really dead.

"I wish the plan had worked." Kira admits.

Scott says, "I think it did. We might know a lot more about the Benefactor now, then they thought they did last night.".

Kira looks confused as she asked, "But no one came. No one got visual confirmation right?"

"That's why it might have worked. Think about it? Who do we know who can tell when someone's dead without seeing them. A banshee?!"

**~O~**

Back at the boat house Natalie gives Lydia a note which was the last thing that Grandma Martin wrote before she died. Lydia opens the note and its another cipher. "Are you absolutely sure that grandma is dead? Lydia asked at she stared at the note. Already trying to solve the puzzle.

"She has to be." Natalie replied. Lydia looks doubtfully down at the paper in her hand. The one that looks a little too much like the cipher that Lydia has spent the past several weeks decoding.


	74. Chapter 74

**A/N~ Due to a recent family crisis I'm putting all of my writing on hiatus. I don't know at this time how long it may take to get the issue resolved so for the time being we're going to say after the holidays and then hopefully I'll be able to say more about how long it might be. Don't worry I do honor my commitments. Hiatus doesn't mean dropped. That being said I am posting what I have completed. ~A**

**A/N/N~ I am unfamiliar with how Issac's mom actually died. I assumed an illness but I don't think I remember it being mentioned except possibly as an illness. I am going with a fast acting cancer. Remember this is an AU anyway, so there's that as an excuse. Do review and let me know what you think. ~A**

**Teen Wolf 71**

Parrish wakes up to find himself zip tied to his steering wheel and soaked in gasoline along with his cruiser being covered in the flammable liquid. He hears someone screaming incoherently nearby. He looks over to find Aruvat further away from him than he's ever seen him. His armor stands out darkly against the fire within, meanwhile he was hissing.

"Murderer! Deceiver! Traitor!" His sword was pointed at Haigh's throat and if his fire hadn't been a magical thing without heat, Jordan would have been concerned with the possibility of being burned alive.

"Aruvat," he called a little hoarsely as he struggled against the restraints. The djinn turned to face him. As soon as he did Haigh pulled out his gun and started firing at the fiery figure before him. He managed to get off three shots which seemed to evaporate in mid-air before they even made it to the djinn. Aruvat merely reached out and grabbed the deputies hand. Haigh screamed as his hand and the gun he was holding began to burn. "So much for no heat," Jordan thought.

Jordan felt a tug at his chest and looked down to see the soul bond between he and the djinn, an odd strand seemed to separate itself from the bond and whip around in the air. Still attached but independent it moved through the chemically scented air and then slashed through the deputies bonds, freeing him from the steering wheel.

Parrish leapt out of the car and somehow feels a cool breeze as Aruvat is suddenly surrounding him and they stare at his former partner through the same eyes. He reaches for his partner and Haigh screams hysterically.

**~O~**

At the Sheriff station Stiles and Lydia go into Sheriff Stilinski's office. They explain why they're there. "It's not just that Lorraine Martin could still be alive, dad," Stiles explains.

"She would have had to fake her own death." Lydia agreed.

The Sheriff asks what story they have to back up this claim. "She might be helping the Benefactor," Lydia says.

Stiles suggests, "Or she is the Benefactor." The Sheriff starts to close the door to his office so that they can finish telling him their story but then leans out and asks, "Has anyone seen Haigh or Parrish?" When he only hears silence or negative responses John goes back to listening to his son and Lydia.

Parrish comes walking into the station escorting a bandaged but restrained Haigh by the elbow. The wounded deputy meanwhile shouts, "He's a monster. Everyone needs to shoot Parrish, kill him, you need to kill him." He seemed almost delirious.

All the other deputies are up beside their desks, staring as Jordan walks the other deputy toward the back of the department where the holding cells and interrogation room are. The Sheriff and his guests come out to follow the other man back to the interrogation room.

Meanwhile on his desk Haigh's computer updates a screen that he had been monitoring and we see that it s a dead pool list. And highlighted across the screen is a notification, "KILL NOT CONFIRMED."

**~O~**

Later Parrish, Scott, and Lydia go to the Pack House. Derek watches as Aruvat actually detaches from Parrish to a certain limit and yet the deputy is still able to maintain his jinn like abilities showing his Paladin form once again to all assembled. The Banshee though is the most fascinated as she whispers, "I remember this."

Derek nods his head as he stares at the flame gauntlets that doesn't actually burn his skin as he examines the deputies hands. He explained "Stiles says that as we get closer to when he and Mary went back in time. We'll start remembering more."

Cora and Issac come into the living area where the group is gathered and Issac's backpack suddenly hit's the floor with a thud. "Cameron?" he says in a shocked squawk.

**~O~**

At the Pack House they've explained some things to Parrish and Issac has given the down and dirty version about their family which the former soldier apparently is still having trouble remembering. Scott skips over several things and tells him that the important thing to know is that everyone with some supernatural ability is on the dead pool. "But I don't even know what I am," Parrish complains.

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter."

Parrish asks, "How many people are after us?"

Lydia replies, "They've lost count."

Scott wonders, "Are we sure it's still just professionals who are after us?"

Parrish doesn't think so, "Haigh has never tried anything like this before. I think I would have heard if he had." They realize that if Haigh had the dead pool then the number of people who could be after them could be just include everyone.

**~O~**

Liam is in his room, unable to sleep, when his printer suddenly turns itself on. It starts to print out updated death pool lists, with those who are dead being crossed out. Liam tries to get his printer to stop and ends up having to unplug it.

**~O~**

"When Cameron left it was like all the life went out of my mom. When all the life went out of her all of dad's humanity went out of him. He used to participate with kids from school or the neighborhoods. Sports, he was the coach, The Coach, capital letters and all. He just lost interest in it after you left, or after Cameron left." Issac explained.

The pair had agreed after much discussion that while Jordan may have been Cameron, he was a different person now, he had become Jordan. Although how he had gone into the Army Cameron Lahey and come out Jordan Parrish they were all, including the Sheriff, still trying to figure out. So for the time being they were being identified as two separate individuals for Jordan's peace of mind and maybe a little for Issac's as well.

Issac then explained how his mother had died unexpectedly. He can't even pronounce the name, "I never could," he remembers. "Just remember that it was some rare, fast acting, cancer. One week she was humming while baking a pie in the kitchen, the next bedridden in the hospital. Hooked up to tubes and monitors, fading away," The curly haired teen said as he looked down at his clasped hands, "While dad paced and I sat dazed staring at my hands in the waiting room."

"It was right after the funeral," Issac says, "It was like a switch was flipped in my dad and that night was when it started. It was also the first time he locked me in the freezer because I couldn't stop crying over mom being gone."

Jordan's face is pale with horror as he whispers, "Jesus kid," The deputy explains, "I don't remember Cameron at all." He also doesn't remember changing from one to the other. Although when Jordan becomes agitated trying to remember that other person who apparently he is, Aruvat also comes out unexpectedly.

The djinn explains that he remembers a couple of the other soldiers calling his soon to be host another name at the time, a couple of other names actually. When asked what those other names were he remembers Jordan being called Specialist, Cam, and something else that was neither Jordan nor Parrish.

Jordan tries but still can't remember the family Issac describes. He does admit that at certain times, "You do look familiar but taller, a lot taller." He chuckles as Issac blushes and gives a shy smile of pride

**~O~**

Lydia explains to everyone at the Pack House, "Meredith was only at the Lake House one time, but once was enough."

Derek asks, "How did your grandmother know Meredith?"

"She didn't. She found her because of another woman named Maddy. The woman my grandmother loved." Lydia shows them all a picture of Maddy and Lorraine. "I never met Maddy, but I've seen her name everywhere."

"There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas that Maddy's yacht racing team had won." Lydia explained.

Parrish asks, "How did Maddy die?"

Lydia replies, "How isn't the story. It's about what happened right before. Lorraine used to work in San Francisco for IBM She was in on a weekend catching up on work when she started hearing a sound. It sounded like rain, but all she saw outside the windows was blue skies. The sound of rain and thunder kept getting louder. Finally, she screamed."

"Like a banshee," Derek says.

Lydia continues, "Lorraine called Maddy. Maddy was taking one of the boats out onto the lake, but Maddy told Lorraine that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn't tell her about what she had heard."

"There was an accident and it took them four days to find Maddy's body." Lydia says tracing the figures of the two women in the picture with her finger as she spoke. "It took decades longer to figure out how Lorraine knew."

"She brought in parapsychologists who set up the white room. Nothing worked, so she tried more occult things like psychics, tarot, but all of those were failures, too. But then they found Meredith at Eichen House, a fragile girl who didn't understand the things she heard." Lydia said and here her tone turned bitter and guilty both.

"They brought Meredith to the study with the record player and almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year. She never really recovered. My grandmother drove her insane. And I drove her to suicide." Lydia concluded as she put the photo down so hard Stiles actually thought it might crack the frame.

Lydia then unfolds the note Lorraine left for her and admits, ?My grandmother created the code for the dead pool."

Scott asks, "Did Lorraine leave a cipher key for this one?", and Lydia shakes her head.

Lydia heads to Stiles house, where he puts Maddy, Lorraine, and the new code up on the case board.

**~O~**

Scott wanders over to Derek's bed and sitting there on top of a leather jacket is a gun. "Watch it," Cora tells him, before taking the gun back from him.

"I thought you Hales didn't like guns," Scott says. She doesn't answer and Scott asks her about her eyes.

"My eyes, my strength, my healing…" Scott is stunned to find out they're all gone.

Cora explains, "Whatever Kate did to me is still going on."

Scott tells her reluctantly, "Your name was the third cipher key and if the dead pool was created by a banshee and the other two people have already died. It could mean that you're in danger."

"Scott banshees don't predict danger, they predict death." Cora reminds him.

**~O~**

The next morning as Scott is leaving for school he notices that the bag he has been keeping the assassins money in is pulled out from under his bed and that the corner of the zipper is open. He suspects that someone has taken some of the money. So he pulls it out and counts it and finds it is all there. Satisfied he puts it back under his bed and heads off to school.

At the school Liam is having problems. He's nervous and everyone seems to be going by in slow motion.

Mason asks him, "Are you going to the bonfire?"

"Nah, I'm going to stay home, be a couch potato, tonight." Liam replies, still feeling out of sorts.

"But its a Cyclones tradition," Mason insists. "We're going to find you a nice girl and me a lacrosse player."

Liam thinks he sees a berserker in the hallway and tries to block it out. Eventually he says, "Fine I'll go to the bonfire with you." Just to escape his persistent friend.

**~O~**

Meanwhile Stiles and Lydia are in his room trying to figure out the cipher. "Try Maddy?" Stiles suggests.

Lydia rolls her eyes hard and says, "That's a little obvious, don't you think?"

So instead they try Lydia, Natalie, and none of them work "You have any beloved family pets?" Stiles asks.

Stiles point out that the ashes were left for her and the code was left for her. "You're supposed to be able to figure this out." Stiles printer starts beeping because it's out of paper, the Spark can't take it so he shoves paper into it to shut it up. It immediately starts printing. Stiles realizes that it's supposed to be about Lydia but all of their password guesses have been about Lorraine. He believes they need to think of something about Lydia. "What do you remember doing with your grandmother?"

Lydia says, "We read."

Stiles seizes on that response and replies, "Okay what did you read?

"The Little Mermaid." Lydia replies with a shrug.

Stiles scowls slightly as he replies, "You read that movie?"

"It was a book before it was a movie, it was written by Hans Christian Anderson." Lydia responds in an exasperated tone.

"Type in the title of the book," Stiles suggests, but that doesn't work.

Lydia doesn't understand, "We read that book every night. I got so obsessed that for three months I wouldn't respond to anything but Ariel." Lydia explains and realizes, "My grandmother thought that it was absolutely adorable ." So the Banshee tried that as the key.

The list opens.

Tamra Johansen

Alice Duffy

Paula Brasch

Trey Lockhart

Josh Morris

Elisa Chin

Peter McElroy

Taylor Freeman

Terrance Shuman

Lorraine Martin

Stiles asks Lydia, "Do you recognize any of the names on the list?"

The strawberry blond replies, "I only recognize my grandmothers name."

Stiles finally checks on what his printer has been printing. Once he reads the page he says, "We need to call Scott."

**~O~**

At the school, Coach is having a team meeting. He tells the team, "I'm aware that the bonfire is a big deal for all of you miscreants. I'm also aware that it gets out of hand with all of the alcohol and everything." The team cheers, and Scott notices that Liam isn't cheering.

Coach continues, "While I can't stop you from getting drunk, McCall will be there to keep an eye on things and narc on you knuckleheads." He then orders them all back to class.

Scott follows Liam.

**~O~**

Scott finds Liam sitting on the steps messing with his lacrosse stick and asks him, "You okay?" Liam tells him, "MY printer went nuts last night, and hen it spit this out," and then shows Scott what it was printing. Just then they hear Coach shouting and find him staring at his printer as it spits out the dead pool.

Scott looks at the list that Liam gave him and notices that Derek is no longer on the list and Liam points out, "I'm not worth 3 million anymore, now it's 18."

**~O~**

Stiles and Lydia go to the sheriff station with the new list of names from Lorraine. Parrish after using his computer tells them, "Nope, it's not another dead pool. It's a list of the already dead." He continues to study the screen as he studies the material. "They all died within the last 10 years, they were all suicides, and they all died at Eichen House."

"Dad always said, once is an incidence, twice is coincidence, and three's a pattern. This sounds more like a serial killer." Stiles points out, "Still we can't just go to Eichen House and demand to see the files."

"We have to get the files." Lydia insists, "We need to get a look, because my grandmother left the list for a reason." She asks, Is there anyone there who would be willing to help them?"

Stiles replies thoughtfully, "I don't think so, but there is someone there who would take a bribe."

**~O~**

Back at the school someone sets an armature of a cyclone on fire and the party starts. Allison and Issac start slowly grinding against each other. Boyd had to work and Erica didn't bother coming. Cora didn't feel like coming and Jackson decided to take her to dinner and a movie out of town. There's music and everyone dances. Deputies move through the crowd as security, although apparently they're blind to the teenagers drinking, and Scott walks around keeping an eye on everyone. He spots Malia and Aiden sharing a flask and goes to talk to them.

He asks, "What are you guys up to?"

Aiden replies, "Getting drunk." Then Aiden asked, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make sure nobody gets hurt," the Alpha replies seriously.

"That sounds fun too," Malia nods.

Scott reminds them, "You know we can't get drunk, our healing gets in the way."

Malia suggests Scott tell Liam that.

Liam is pouring alcohol into his soda bottle.

Mason watches skeptically as Liam puts more alcohol into his drink. Liam eyes him and then asks, "So are you going to tell me to slow down?"

"On the contrary." Mason replies, "I'm going to tell you to keep drinking so you'll get drunk enough to tell me the truth about what's really been going on."

Mason explains, "I haven't been asking because I want to know, but because I want to help."

Liam looks over at Scott and Malia and then says, "I'm going to get another drink." He drops his bottle on the ground and stumbles a little and claims, "I'm getting drunk.

**~O~**

Stiles and Lydia are in Eichen House in Brunski's office. Brunski wants 1000 dollars to open up the file room.

Stiles tells the orderly, "You're out of your mind."

"When you get the keys, you make the price." the older man says way too cheerfully for Stiles state of mind.

The Spark asks Brunski, "Do you really think we have that kind of money?"

"I know you don't. That's why I'm talking to her." He looks at Lydia. She rolls her eyes and opens her purse and offers $500.

After she drops the money Brunski turns around and flips a mix tape in a player. Lydia and Stiles give each other significant looks, but they follow him to the file room anyway.

Once Stiles and Lydia are in the records room, Brunski closes the door. Stiles asks, "Lets see the list," and then asks, "Lydia? Why'd you put my name on the list?"

Brunski was suddenly beside them. "It was the tapes wasn't it?" he asks and then he tazes them both.

**~O~**

Scott tries to talk to Malia and Aiden. She's not particularly interested. She tells him once again, "I just want to dance and get drunk." She stumbles and Scott catches her and looks concerned because she actually is acting like she's drunk.

Aiden teases her, "You really can't hold your liquor, can you?"

Then he also stumbles and examines himself as he says "What the hell?" Scott looks at Liam and finds him stumbling and falling down too.

**~O~**

At the Sheriff Station, Haigh is in the interrogation room handcuffed to a chair. Braeden comes in and flips out her badge before saying, "US Federal Marshall. I'm working with the department to…"

Haigh interrupts and asks, "How did you get those scars?"

The young woman answers truthfully, "A werewolf. How'd you break your nose?"

He starts to question her and she punches him in the face, breaking his nose.

**~O~**

Parrish is looking through the records of the dead people on Lydia's list at the Sheriff station. He is practically the only deputy not at the bonfire, so it's easy for him to break the rules like this at the moment. He notices that all the suicides also had the same person delivering the bodies to the morgue, Brunski.

**~O~**

In the records room, Lydia screams for help while Stiles struggles.

"Lydia, there's a lot of people screaming for help in this place. I don't think anyone is listening."

Lydia asks, "Do you have any better ideas, Stiles? Because all of the suicides were murders. Lorraine predicted her own death."

The door opens and Brunski comes into the room. He says they were not murders. "I am not some serial killer, like Ted Bundy, going around chopping up college girls."

"Nah, you're just an angel of death." Stiles says sharply.

Brunski gets in Stiles face and says, "There are people in Eichen House who don't just need treatment, they need release."

He insists, "I helped them. And now I need your help Lydia. Because there was always something about Lorraine's death that had bothered me. I have a tape of her death." He says and he puts it in the player.

Brunski plays the tape. There are the sounds of him walking into the room and then telling Lorraine, "Everything will be all right."

Stiles starts to struggle and tells Lydia, "Look at me. Just focus on my voice, all right. You don't listen to it. Block it out." Stiles gets angry and shouts at Brunski, "Turn it off." Brunski punches Stiles in the face, knocking him over.

Brunski grabs Lydia's face and orders her to listen because he needs her help. "This is the part I never understood."

"Please don't hurt her," Lorraine says.

"Don't hurt who?" Brunski asks on the tape.

"Ariel," Lorraine replies. They hear Lorraine stop breathing, and both Stiles and Lydia are in tears.

**~O~**

Allison is suspicious of the suddenly drunken and slightly horny Issac she is having to deal with and decides to drag him further into the woods of the Preserve to deal with him. When she is confronted by one of the deputies, she tells him, "I'm is taking my boyfriend home. I haven't had anything to drink. Designated driver." she adds cheerfully.

The deputy seems oddly unconcerned and tries to shove the huntress out of the way. Bad move, she punches the deputy out and then continues on into the woods. The further the couple get from the party and music the more sober Issac becomes, Allison calls Scott only to have it go straight to voicemail and then she calls Derek.

Malia is having a hard time standing up, so Scott and Aiden walk her over to the others, (Scott more than Aiden). He notices that a deputy is watching them.

Scott finds Malia a bottle of water, thinking she might actually be getting drunk, somehow. He asks Mason how much Liam has had to drink. "Not enough to get him like this." Mason replies. Scott decides to try and call Peter to come get his daughter, only to discover his cell phone isn't working. Not dead, just not working.

Scott realizes , "Something's wrong. We need to get them out of here." Just as he says it the Alpha starts to feel the same effects.

Mason asks the other teen, "How much have you had to drink?"

"Nothing. Not even a sip." Scott hears something in the thumping of the music and realizes, "It's the music that's making us sick."

Scott tells Mason, "I have to turn off the music."

The younger student doesn't understand why but he nods when Scott tells him and requests he keep an eye on Malia, Aiden and Liam.

Scott starts pushing his way through the crowd, but as he gets closer the DJ turns up the part of the sound that is making them sick. Scott collapses, and two deputies pick him up. Other deputies pick up Malia, Aiden and Liam.

Mason tries to stop them but they declare, "Your friends are overly intoxicated."

Mason offers, "I'll go with them, call their parents." The deputy shoves him down.

The deputies dump the four were's in a heap in the hallway, and the ringleader dumps gasoline on them. "Haigh says we gotta burn you."

**~O~**

Lydia stares down Brunski and refuses to tell him what Ariel means. When its clear he isn't going to get an answer he gets some drugs down off a shelf and explains, Do you know we get a lot of teenagers trying to break into the drug cabinets. Most of the time they don't succeed. But you two look pretty clever to me." He gets out a syringe and some drugs. Lydia and Stiles start to struggle again. The Spark is trying to summon his power but for some reason it doesn't want to work within Eichen House.

**~O~**

Mason stares at the DJ and decides to follow through with Scott's plan. He finds where the audio equipment is plugged in.

Scott splutters, and the deputy comes closer with a lighter in his hand.

Mason pulls the plug on the music. Scott regains enough of himself to close the lighter and break the deputy's hand.

Braeden and Derek show up and take on the rest of the deputies, easily beating them. Braeden breaks the ringleaders neck.

Scott looks at Derek. "What happened to the gun?"

"That's Cora's," Derek makes a face at the teen and said, "Besides you're covered in gasoline." The Alpha reminds him as he helps Scott up and pats the other man on the shoulder.

"So everybody's okay here," Braeden says as she looks surprisingly comfortable cuddling up next to the Alpha. "How bout some dinner?"

When Aiden starts to turn the woman down, Malia actually elbows her boyfriend in the ribs to the point the Alpha Twin nearly doubles over as the were-coyote uses a little more force than she realizes. "That would be great I'm always starved after a little fighting." She says with a saccharine sweetness, that is a little frightening.

"Yeah, me too. Starved." Scott said suspiciously as he studied an increasingly uncomfortable looking Derek. The woman was trying to climb Derek alike a snail, or a slug, Scott thought. Definitely a thug.

"Okay you guys go, I'll get rid of the bodies." Derek said in a relieved tone as he literally detached Braeden from his side and handed her off to Scott.

No one missed the dissatisfied expression on the bounty hunters face as Scott took her arm and led her away protesting, "Shouldn't we stay and help him?"

"You heard Malia, she's starving and were-coyotes are the worst when they're hungry. She may just resort to gnawing on one of us if it goes n too long." Aiden said as he wrapped his arm around his girlfriends waist affectionately as he finally caught on to what was going on. Their small group were met by Allison and a recovered Issac out in the parking lot.

Liam though heads back into the party, which was actually starting to pick up a bit because Mason had taken over as DJ and was playing several energetic dance songs. Liam thanks his friend for trying to keep them safe and tell him stopping the music saved their lives.

"But you still can't tell me why or how can you?" Mason asks him seriously.

Liam doesn't answer his friend he can only look guilty as he shakes his head. Mason merely nods and gives his friend a disappointed look as he climbs back up behind the DJ platform determinedly.

**~O~**

Brunski finishes drawing the drugs up into the syringe. Brunski looks like he's gong to go after Stiles but he goes for Lydia instead. He gets the needle into her neck when Parrish appears with his gun drawn and tells him to drop it.

"Young deputy. You're just a kid. I bet you've never even fired a…" Parrish shoots him and then undoes the cuffs on Lydia.

She tells Jordan, "He killed my grandmother. He was controlling Meredith," Lydia adds.

Lydia frees Stiles, who adds, "Brunski used Meredith to create the dead pool."

Brunski coughs up blood and laughs, "You think it was me? That I was controlling her? Idiots… She was controlling me." Then he dies.

Lydia realizes something that makes her believe him and as she declares, "Brunski really isn't the Benefactor."

Meredith walks into the room still very much alive. "He wasn't on my list, but he was a very bad person."

**~O~**

Braeden walked back into the loft expecting to find Cora and hopefully her brother for their next training session. Truthfully Cora was an exceptional student, really she was already proficient enough with the weapons that she could keep herself and the others alive. Braeden was just using her as an excuse to continue to see her brother. He had also shown an interest in the weapons as an alternate form of protecting his pack.

The bounty hunter rolled her eyes as she saw who was waiting for her in the loft instead of either Cora or Derek, it was Stiles. The teen picked up a rather heavy looking duffle bag sitting beside him and said rather imperiously, "Shall we go?"

Braeden was stunned for a minute as he walked out of the loft without a backward glance and down the stairs. She had used the elevator, but the younger man seemed surprisingly comfortable carrying the laden bag down three flights. The teen carried his bag to the ridiculous looking Jeep and opened the bag to put the duffle in before looking around the vehicle at her. "You want to put your stuff in here and we'll share the ride?"

The young woman went to her SUV and took her kit out all the while thinking rather uncharitable thoughts about the younger man. She knew from Cora and the other wolves that this was supposed to be Derek's mate. She was to say the least unimpressed.

She climbed into the passenger seat of the ramshackle blue vehicle as the teenager started it u and pulled out of the parking lot. They pulled out on the main road of the town before she realized she really had no idea where they were going. Mentally she shrugged imagining that they were heading for the range the department used. It made sense considering she was dealing with the Sheriff's son.

Speaking of the Sheriff she did not envy the man his current position. Okay so she and the Alpha, (well more her than the Alpha), had been a little heavy handed with the deputies who were trying to kill the members of his Pack. There were a couple of deaths and the others when they got out of the hospital were looking at heavy duty jail time.

So right now the hard pressed Stilinski was not only having to process those deputies to see if they were professional killers who had infiltrated his department or they were all amateurs who couldn't resist the allure of supposedly easy money. Either way he was now down about half a dozen men, not a good situation to be in, in this town.

Braeden knew from the experience she had gained with the supernatural over the past few years. That a true mate bond was something you didn't mess with, but a bond between a human and a werewolf was usually more ephemeral. Easily broken and remade, not that she was interested in a mate bond or any kind of long term relationship.

She just found the Alpha sexually attractive and wanted a physical relationship with the man. The bounty hunter was stunned when they came to a stop in the middle of nowhere. There was forest all around them and Stiles was already out of the Jeep and pulling the duffle from the back. Braeden scrambled to follow the younger man as it didn't look as if he had any intention of waiting for her if she couldn't keep up with him.

He was headed down a barely visible path that was just off the drive they were parked on. That's all it was a rutted driveway and a barely there path through the woods. Yet the teen was traversing the path as though it was well used or he was part mountain goat. Then they came out into a clearing. Along one sided was what seemed to be a shooting range with a berm behind it. One side of it appeared to have regular target range, the other was set up for archery. There was a covered table set up between the two, where Stiles was putting his bag down and began to take things out of it and put on the table. Braeden meanwhile was continuing her study of the clearing.

Down at the far end of the clearing on the right were what looked for all the world like dummies, as in mannequins. She couldn't really see them clearly from where she stood but they looked as if they had been used for practice as well. Though she shuddered to think what kinds of weapons could do the damage she could see on them. On the left hand side of the clearing was what appeared to be the top of an old military style bunker.

She moved closer to the teen and spoke for the first time since finding him in the loft, "Is that…?"

"A military bunker, circa World War I? Yeah it is. There was an old internment camp near here. We figure that's a left over from that, since there weren't really any bases near here."

"I didn't know there were internment camps around here." Braeden said in surprise as she came up beside him and began to unload her smaller sized it beside his extensive collection of weaponry.

"That's because there was a massacre, most of the human inhabitants and some of the supernatural ones were slaughtered. Military has a tendency to want to cover that sort of thing up." The teen said in a disturbingly nonchalant manner as he slammed a clip of ammunition into the very illegal automatic assault rifle he was holding. "So if some of it didn't happen, none of it did."

"Then how do you know about it…your dad?" the former Marshall said as she rushed to catch up with the younger man.

"No. One of our Pack was possessed by the Nogitsune that caused it all and a couple of the others who were involved are a part of our extended Pack." The way he said Pack was more like he had said family.

"So you consider yourself part of the Pack," she said and there was no mistaking the sarcasm in her voice. He turned to look at her and she convinced herself that the flat black that she saw there she convinced herself in that instant was a trick of the light.

"I am Pack." He turned back to the firing range and shouted to no one in particular, "Firing!" Basically the weapon he was using shredded the target in half.

"Impressive weapon," Braeden said and there was just a touch of envy in her voice as she came to stand next to him and fired her own semi-auto at her own target without the tacit warning he had given. While her own weapon didn't give the same shredding as his, her target did display all of her bullets had obliterated the center mass of the target itself.

"Thanks, it was a gift from my teacher," the teen said with an almost feral grin. "Nice grouping, by the way." Stiles took his weapon back and proceeded to go for something a little smaller.

For some reason his compliment seemed to aggravate her even more, but she could play the game as well. The reference to a teacher had piqued her interest though. "You mean your shooting instructor?" She asked as she joined him at the table and picked up her shotgun. A favorite she stroked the side of the weapon in what might be considered a loving manner. "Hell of an expensive graduation gift." she said as she lifted the shotgun and assumed her position on the firing line. Without aiming really she brought the weapon up and began firing. The firing pattern was off she could tell before she ever lowered the weapon, but still impressive in its destructiveness.

Stiles was loading a Desert Eagle with huge bullets that looked to be handmade, he smiled at her statement and said, "According to her, I have a ways to go before I graduate. This," he said holding up one of the bullets, "is my latest test." With that he headed to the range and said, "You might want to duck."

The older woman just smirked and shook her head, he looked back over his shoulder and stopped smiling when he saw her still standing there. "No seriously, you want to duck for this." When she still refused and started to get her bitch face on, her expression reminded him of the two reasons they were actually here. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Your funeral."

He fired. When the bounty hunter came back to her senses she was about fifteen feet from where she had been her face felt a little scorched like being in front of an oven for too long. Stiles was standing over her with a look of concern on his face as he predicted, "Might have overdone it a touch but she'll still love it." He offered her a hand up.

Braeden at that very moment was beginning to realize she may have underestimated the young man just a touch. She also began to get the distinct impression that he was oh so subtly taking her to school for daring to mess with what was his. Also there was the slightest nudging in the back of her mind to remind her of a few things. As he levered her up to standing again.

One, this was the sheriff's son, he knew where and how to bury the bodies. Two he had a whole wolf pack to do his dirty work for him if necessary. Three he apparently knew a lot more than she thought he did about weapons and so forth. Four he had brought her out to the middle of nowhere for this little not-confrontation. She doubted she could even find her way back to town from here on her own.

He studied her for a moment as though checking to make sure she wasn't concussed and then began packing up the weapons. He told her over his shoulder, "I have some more practice to do but feel free to continue using the range."

Braeden looked at the younger man in confusion, maybe she had hit her head harder than she thought. He pulled the heavy duty zipper closed on the duffle and headed over to where the mannequins stood. A little dazed, she followed along behind him, watching as he removed a few layers of clothing, his hoody and t-shirt are removed. He stretches and as she watches the Marshall is actually dry mouthed.

The young man who she had regulated to nothing special was actually very fit. Muscles rippling under taut skin, he's perhaps not as bulky as his werewolf mate but he is also not the scrawny as she had thought. He proceeds to do mixed martial arts and the object seems to be to come as close as possible without actually hitting the target. She doesn't quite get it until she sees the mannequins shivering from the wind his limbs create as they come within a hairs breath of the plastic people.

Then the hairs raise on her skin as an odd humming begins and lightening comes out of his fingers. It touches one of the mannequins and it begins to melt. Fire leaps from his fingertips and another catches fire. His foot swings out and a wall of wind blows several more at least twenty feet. He suddenly stands still and a vibration comes up through the ground and up into her feet, boulders come up through the ground and slam into the bodies of the mannequins and smash them into pieces.

When he is done Stiles bows towards the remains of the mannequin army and turns to walk back toward Braeden. If she hadn't been made of sterner stuff, she probably would have either fallen to her knees or run for the hills. His hair was a little fluffier than it had been but other than that Stiles demeanor and expression hadn't changed at all. Still looking like an affable teen he studied her as he came closer.

"You're a mage?" and if her voice squeaked a little hoarsely, who could really blame her.

"Nah still just a Spark," he said. "Alpha Mate and a temporary emissary. At least until Lydia finishes her training."

She was so screwed, she thought. "Okay, so are you hear to blast me into atoms now."

He snorted as he tilted his head and chuckled as he admitted, "Thought about it, but Derek would probably be disappointed in me although his wolf would love the fact I was getting all territorial over his werewolf self. Sides we could always use an ally in the long run. He turned back to where his clothes lay and they suddenly flew along the grassy surface toward him. He caught them in mid-air and began pulling them back over his sweat slicked skin. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and tossed the keys to the woman and said, "You drive. I still need to tell you about the lamia."


	75. Chapter 75

**A/N~ Thanks for those who expressed their well wishes during the holidays for my family crisis. As often happens the crisis is an ongoing thing and I have become the caregiver for a relative. As this will be an ongoing thing my writing will be more limited but it will continue. This being said please enjoy and review. ~A **

**Chapter 72**

Satomi's Pack are running from the assassins who are shooting at them with arrows. Kira arrives and using her impressive sword skills, blocks as many of the arrows as she can.

Erica and Boyd appear and are moving weaker or slower members of Satomi's Pack along faster, in some cases protecting the other supernatural's with their own bodies. The trio then helps Satomi's pack escape and takes them all somewhere the kitsune thinks is safe.

She tells Satomi in what she hopes is a reassuring tone, "Wait here, I'm going to meet Scott and together we'll try to come up with a better plan."

**~O~**

As Scott is getting ready to go out the door to meet, Kira, he throws a helmet to Liam, telling him briefly, "Come on, Satomi's pack is being chased by some more assassins, we're going to make sure they're in a safe hiding place."

Liam remains where he is standing and questions Scott, "Are these assassins the same as the ones who tried to set us on fire at the school?".

Scott sees that Liam is uncomfortable with coming to help, so he offers, "Or I can take you home instead."

Liam declares that, "I'm not like you or the rest of the Pack," The younger man tried to explain, "I don't mean I'm not strong, or that I'll never be in control. I mean with everything else, you and your friends try and protect everyone. Have you been doing this the whole time? How are you all still alive?"

Scott has a flashback, all of the deaths that had happened before, he's not sure how he knew but he knew they had died before and he knew he had to talk to Stiles and the Pack Alpha about those odd memories.

In the meantime he told Liam, "We're not always going to win but I learned from Derek, if we don't win, if we don't work together, more people die. Sometimes it'll be the people we're trying to protect, sometimes it'll be us. If we all of us work together though we all stand a better chance of surviving." He looks at the younger werewolves expression and pushes the offer of taking him home again reassuringly.

**~O~**

Meanwhile Stiles is in the hospital with a concussion from where Brunski punched him in the face while he was trying to distract Lydia from listening to Eichen's, Angel of Death.

He tries to get out of the hospital bed and leave insisting, "I'm fine."

Melissa insists, "You're staying until we at least do a CT scan."

When he starts to argue, that he could just as easily whip up a potion to heal himself. The nurse replies testily, "And then what would you do?"

Stiles seems to give up and flops back down on the bed, but requests "Ok, well can you at least bring me a tape player I can listen to?" When Mellissa leaves the room, Stiles takes a tape out of his pocket labeled Lorraine Martin.

**~O~**

Back in the sheriff station Sheriff Stilinski comes out of his office. Only to be immediately confronted by Lydia who asks, "What did she say?"

The Sheriff replies, "Hard to tell, there were words, but I don't think they were actual sentences." Lydia takes that to mean nothing.

The sheriff admits that he thinks, "We need a psychologist, or a medium," as he picks up the phone.

Lydia questions, "Do you think she is even competent enough to stand trial?"

The Sheriff puts the phone back in the cradle and answers. "If Meredith is the Benefactor that means that she was competent enough to trick Kate into opening the Hale vault, competent enough to trick Brunski into helping her, competent enough to create a hit list and pay out money for it's completion. That would mean the girl is practically a criminal mastermind."

Lydia and the sheriff continue their discussion, with the Sheriff finally stating that "The only way we're really going to stop the dead pool, is to stop the money, stop the payouts on the contracts."

**~O~**

Scott and Kira find each other in what appears to be an office. They make out for a few minutes before Scott breaks the kiss to ask, "How's your mom doing?"

Kira tells him, "She's better and she's healing."

When Scott asks, "How about you, are you okay?"

"Right now, very." she replied.

They kiss once more before Scott asks, "Did you find a member of Satomi's pack?" Erica and Boyd have suddenly appear out of the shadows and the blond responds with a smirk, "We found all of them," The two girls and a stoic Boyd show him where all of the other pack have gathered.

Brett is there and he says rather belligerently, "Do you know who this guy is?" indicating Scott.

Satomi says, "I know who Scott McCall is."

One of the girls ask, "Are we safe here?"

Scott looks around the room and examines how many Pack members there actually are and says, "We're going to need help, a lot of help."

**~O~**

Chris Argent throws a man through a doorway in what looks like a warehouse as he walks in holding a gun, ready to fire it. A man comes up behind him and Argent knocks him out with his elbow. He walks through aisles of purple flowers until he comes to a yellow wolves bane plant. As he reaches down for it, he misses the man over his shoulder raising a gun to shoot him. A man in a mask attacks the would be shooter and ruthlessly takes him down.

Chris turns around with the retrieved plant to find Peter wearing a heavy duty breathing apparatus staring at his partner balefully. Chris merely cracks a grin at his mate and says, "Who was that masked man?" As he walks past, rather than answer the werewolf rolled his eyes as he followed him back out of the warehouse.

**~O~**

Back at the sheriff station. Sheriff Stilinski is still trying to get something out of Meredith. "I thought I told you to go home." the sheriff says to Lydia.

She replies, "And I thought I told you I'm not going anywhere. Did they get anything out of her?"

"Should have gone with the medium," Stilinski responds.

Deputy Parrish comes up and reports to Stilinski, "We checked everything in Brunski's office and found nothing." He then turn to Lydia and asks her, "If you need a ride home Ms. Martin, I'll be happy to drive you."

Lydia tries to convince the Sheriff to let her talk to Meredith. "She'll talk to me, banshee to banshee.

**~O~**

Derek was giving his mate a very convincing glare after he was led into the hospital room by Melissa McCall. "Did you even have a plan when you walked in?"

"Plan who needs a plan," Stiles asked with a bit of cheek.

"Clearly you do, since you got caught by a serial killer, again." Derek's glare ratcheted up slightly and a hint of growl had entered his voice.

"Hey that was Kira, not me. I just happened to stumble onto them as I was looking for the explosive device," as a defense it was weak at best and Derek was giving him a decidedly unimpressed look in response.

Derek's bitch face finally broke as he admits, "I was worried for all of you, I always will be, but especially for my mate."

"We need to communicate more." Stiles agrees,

"Especially since I could have told you Eichen has wards set into its foundations to prevent magic and most other supernatural abilities from being used. " Derek explained as he pulled the Spark closer and nuzzled his neck softly, "It's why we send the supernatural criminals there."

'Yeah that would have been useful to know. Especially since they didn't have that in the previous timeline. I promise to be more careful except for when it comes to our Pack." he said as he stroked the back of his mates neck soothingly, "They may be my age but they're still my pups."

The pair start kissing and ignore Melissa as she closes the door behind her, the tape player sitting on the over bed table near the door.

**~O~**

Mary is washing dishes in her kitchen when she heard the boards creak on her back deck. She didn't turn around, the witch knew who it was. He had been here nearly every night for the past week and a half. It was getting annoying, really.

It wasn't that he pressed his suit, about their relationship. Well, not really. He was just trying to get more involved in what was going on with her and the Beacon Hills Pack. He didn't come too close instead he picked up a nearby hand towel and began taking the clean dishes and drying them.

"You know what you need to do," she said quietly, "I've already told you. You need to show that you support this new Pack, in whatever way you can. This pack isn't about power it's about protection and family." Mary gave him a sharp-eyed gaze over her shoulder. "Something you've been severely lacking in the past several years."

She heard him start to growl, and with a hiss she whirled and her eyes glowing right back she grabbed his Roman shaped nose and twisted sharply. He gave a yelp as she snapped, "You will never, ever growl at me again. Ever!"

She turned back to what she was doing, and said, in a much more hostile tone, "I think you should remember why you're here and what you're trying to accomplish. When you finish the dishes, you can let yourself out."

Mary said before stomping into her room, she didn't slam the door to her room but he got the distinct impression it was a very close thing. The werewolf did as he was told and even closed the French doors before Mary heaved a rough sigh of relief.

**~O~**

Argent is in a building with a small vault, in which he places the yellow plant.

Peter takes his mask off with a rather dramatic breath of fresh air, only to pout when his mate puts his finger to his lips until the other man points to the footsteps in the dust that lead to another room. He grabs his gun, pointing it at the other room, something shoots at him knocking the gun out of his hands. Peter surges forward to protect his mate, as Chris pulls out his other handgun. He aims, and Brett is suddenly right there, but Scott stops Brett from attacking, telling him, "This is Chris's place."

Peter snarls at Scott through the fangs of his Beta face, "Scott if you're bringing friends over, you really should have called ahead."

Scott tells him, "I didn't have any other safe place to take them."

Satomi steps up and says that she knows this man. Indicating Chris she says, "He might not remember me, but we have met before." Feeling his mate more threatened than with the younger werewolf Peter moves between his mate and the Alpha female.

Scott says, "I trust Peter and Chris, so you should too."

Satomi asks, "Are you like the others?"

Confused Chris asks, "What others?"

Kira tells them, "There was an entire team after them last night. They were using crossbows."

She hands him one of the arrows, and Scott asks, "Were they hunters?"

Argent tells him, "If they are killing for profit, they aren't hunters."

One of the werewolves in Satomi's pack asks, "Can the assassins find us here?"

Argent tells him, "They may already know that you are here and are just waiting for dark."

Kira looks guilty as she realizes that the pack aren't safe.

Satomi explains to the kitsune and the younger member of her Pack, "We really aren't safe anywhere, young one. We have been running for days. Everywhere we turn there is someone new trying to kill us."

"They're coming out of the woodwork and they're coming for you too Scott. You're still high up on the dead pool." Chris reminds the young Alpha.

Scott explains, "I know that. I also know that if Lydia has more time she can get the answers they need from Meredith."

**~O~**

Stiles and Derek are listening to the tape that was found. It's a recording of Brunski talking to Lorraine Martin.

Derek, turns up the tape so that Stiles can hear what he hears, Lorraine, on the tape, says, "I know that you are making a tape, just like you taped the others."

Stiles realizes that Lorraine wasn't killed at the Eichen House like they originally thought.

**~O~**

Lydia, at the sheriff station, questions Meredith The teenager tells the other woman, "I think I know how it all happened." Lydia says, "You used Brunski because you knew that he had killed people before and knew that he would do it again."

"He used my grandmother's code for the dead pool, he put it online. He took the money from the Hale vault, then turned the bearer bonds, into cash. He made the payments. "

Meredith pleads, "I want to help,"

Lydia asks, "Is that's why you're here?"

Meredith shakes her head slightly and says, "I'll only talk to Kate Argent."

**~O~**

Stiles and Derek are still listening to the tape, Stiles turns up the tape and the pair listen again. Derek realizes that he can hear the sound of water lapping against wood.

"Like the dock at the lake house," Stiles says.

"What if all those years ago she went back to the lake house to listen to the record player?" Derek asks brows furrowed. "Lorraine was a banshee," he reminded his mate, "but only once. She spent decades trying to predict something else."

"What if all those years ago Lorraine did predict it," Stiles hypothesized, "She knew this was going to happen and she knew that there was something in the white room that could stop it?"

They talk some more until the Alpha gets a text from Scott, _**"911. All available Pack members. Meet at the Argent Arms building. Get here ASAP."**_

Recognizing the style of speech, "Chris is with him," Stiles says with a smirk. He grabs the keys to the Jeep and says, "and I'm heading to the lake house." Seeing his mates concerned expression he says, "Don't worry I'll call Mary to join me there."

Derek still looks concerned but gets another text and agrees before heading off.

**~O~**

Argent, Issac and Allison are setting up sensors around the warehouse. Erica and Malia are up top acting as lookouts. While everyone else waits for the assassins to show up.

Kira tries to reassure several of the younger members of Satomi's Pack, "I'm hoping, its just a false alarm." Which somehow isn't as reassuring as she'd hoped it would be.

Scott tells everyone, "Lydia is still talking to Meredith."

Derek who has just arrived adds, "Stiles is heading to the lake house. In the hopes of finding something that will shut down the dead pool."

Brett says, "What if it doesn't end until we're all dead?"

Derek replies that they will send a message, "It doesn't matter if they're a professional assassin, hunters, or an amateur who just picked up a gun. Anyone who thinks they can hunt and kill us for money is gonna be put on another list. Our list. They get to be put on our dead pool."

**~O~**

Peter per Lydia's request has been tasked with finding his mate's psycho sister. Although he would rather be with his mate, watching the other man's back. He is reminded by the Pack's emissary in training, "You're still the Bolverk of both of the werewolf clans of Beacon Hills. You're also still the best tracker of the lot of them." That being said Peter manages to track the were-jaguar more by the scent of her berserkers than her own scent.

It wasn't as hard as one might think for the sneaky werewolf to get past the Berserkers without having to fight them. Getting close enough to knock the were-jaguar out was also surprisingly easy considering she still hadn't gotten control of her change yet. Or perhaps in this case that was a helpful factor instead of a hindering one.

Actually knocking out of the former hunter was immensely enjoyable and satisfying for the werewolf. Getting her back past the berserkers was a little more of a challenge but Peter managed it. He made sure to use the manacles that were specifically made by the Argents for were-'s.

When he came walking into the sheriff's station with the woman slung over his shoulder, he didn't bother stopping at the reception desk. The deputy behind the desk, the same one who had taken an interest in the young Ms. Martin, surged to his feet at the appearance of the werewolf and his prey. Before a nod from Peter had him settling back down.

The werewolf continued down the hall to where he could scent Lydia behind the door. He opened said door without knocking and set the were-jaguar in a chair across a table from the other two young women, but the paternal side of him didn't let the werewolf leave the room. He merely stared at the sheriff who finally nodded at him and waited for the fireworks to begin between the three supernatural women.

It took the former hunter longer to recover from his knocking her out than he would have expected. Peter was actually rather proud of that. When she did come around Kate discovered that she couldn't shift so for a few moments it was her cursing and spitting threats at everyone assembled in the room.

Peter hits her in the face, not hard enough to knock her out again but hard enough to shut her up and get her attention for a few minutes. Stilinski yells at the werewolf, Peter merely glares at the man as he reminds, "She's tried to kill both our kin, you would do the exact same thing, if your white hat would allow it."

The sheriff can't deny the truth in that statement. Then Meredith leans across the table and runs her fingers across Kate's throat as the other woman pulls back in surprise. "Your scars are gone," the younger woman says as she sits back in the chair.

Kate is so startled she doesn't know how to respond. Then they all realize that the banshee just traced where her scars would be from the attack that should have killed the older woman but instead turned her into the were-jaguar.

**~O~**

Back with the werewolves, Argent tells Satomi, "I do remember you."

She says, "Only you weren't protecting werewolves back then, you were hunting them."

"Three things cannot long be hidden, the sun, the moon and the truth." Argent states and then asks, "What does that means to you?"

Satomi says, "To me, it means that my kind are wild creatures who eventually will not be able to control their violent impulses."

Argent argues with her and tells her, "I don't believe that. I know several werewolves who would prefer to live peacefully."

Satomi responds, "You can't change what you are, no matter what you prefer."

Argent merely responds, "I did." The sensor goes off and Argent announces "They're coming."

**~O~**

At the sheriffs station, Meredith tells Kate, "It has to be kept secret."

Kate is confused because as far as she knows they have never met before. Meredith is looking at her as if she expects her to remember, but the were-jaguar doesn't.

She does remember something though, Kate stands up and manages to break one of the chains enough to push the table into a startled Peter. She grabs Meredith by the neck and shoves her claws into the back of her neck to do a mind-meld.

**~O~**

A quick scene of guns firing at the building where Satomi's pack is. The supernatural's are mostly taking cover while the others are firing back or fighting back against the assassins.

Even the Alpha twins seem to be getting into the swing of things. Literally swinging some of their opponents into each other like pin balls, or with the body armor perhaps a bit more like bumper cars.

**~O~**

Again, at the sheriff station, Peter with Lydia's help are telling the Sheriff and Deputy Parrish that they can't break the bond or it could potentially kill both Kate and Meredith.

Although Peter says he wouldn't mind the killing of Kate, the death of the other young woman because of it wouldn't sit well with him. None of them know what to do. Kate is looking into Meredith's mind and seeing what she remembers.

Meredith starts whispering things which Lydia can understand quite clearly. Meredith is explaining how she could hear Kate's thoughts. Everything in Kate's mind went straight to Meredith. It was like Kate was standing right over her bed talking to her about revenge.

Kate was talking about taking revenge and killing off every supernatural in Beacon Hills, something she hadn't been able to do while alive because of her brothers conventions and her fathers obsessions with just werewolves. How she would hire people to kill them all. The whole idea for the dead pool came from Kate's subconscious and she didn't even remember it.

**~O~**

Stiles and Mary are still sitting at the lake house listening to the record player, but when they stop it, they can still hear it. They realize its not the record player they hear spinning. Stiles looks around and sees a wire coming out of the wall. He pulls it tearing at the wall. Mary puts a hand on the wall and suddenly chunks of the wall blow out to reveal an old computer. Stiles realizes that it must be the computer that is producing the dead pool.

**~O~**

The assassins are still shooting at the supernatural's and their defenders. When suddenly reinforcements arrive in the form of the Cassidy Pack. The hunters find themselves outnumbered and outflanked by the defenders and their reinforcements.

Lane, J.J. and Rhys and even some younger members of the Pack are suddenly throwing assassins around like rag dolls. Not as concerned about the welfare of the humans as the Beacon Hills Pack usually is. Then to, after the statement from their Alpha, the Beacon Hills Pack isn't all that concerned about them either.

**~O~**

Peter is ready to kill Kate, but Lydia says, "This is what Meredith wants."

Sheriff Stilinski threatens, "I could kill you right now."

Kate asks, "How will you explain that to a judge? Telepathic girl hears the thoughts of a stranger and decides to enact her plans for revenge on the supernatural population of a town." Kate mocks.

Lydia says, "We'll have to let her go." The Sheriff drops his gun to his side. Parrish moves forward to protect and help Meredith. Peter moves to block the were-jaguar's escape and enact his own revenge on the ex-huntress. Only to have a berserker break through the door to block the older werewolf as Kate makes her escape.

**~O~**

Stiles has managed to get Danny, there resident hacker on video chat, to show him the computer in question. "Stiles, you do realize that this thing is probably older than both of us put together." the teen said through the phone as he studied the machine, "Think analog rather than digital. You need a prompt or a command, and without a keyboard or something like that I don't know how you're going to deliver the command." the Hawaiian said as he continued to look on in a worried way. "Stiles, what is she doing?"

Mary is preparing to cast a spell on the dead pool computer, but Stiles stops her. He explains that, "If we just destroy the computer we have no guarantee it will actually stop the dead pool. We need some way to stop the program it's running."

Mary sees a keyhole near the top of the computer face and says, "What about a key?"

Stiles end up video calling Lydia next and explaining the situation to her.

Lydia asks, "Let me see the floor again?" When Stiles shows her she notices the wine stain she made when her mother and she had the wine from her grandmother, the stain is missing now.

She says, "Wine doesn't just come out," and thinking out loud says, "Unless the wine isn't wine."

Stiles goes downstairs to find the bottle. He shakes it and they hear something rattle around inside. He asks for a bottle opener, instead Mary grabs the bottle and smashes it on the ground, Stiles says, "That works too." they find a key hidden inside. They put it in the key slot of the dead pool computer and turn it, turning the computer off.

**~O~**

While Scott is fighting a man, nearly killing him, he realizes that his dark side is starting to take over. He stops to think and someone's phone goes off. All of their phones start going off and the assassins start to back out. Scott takes the man's phone from his pocket and shows him the message that reads, "All contracts terminated."

All of the supernatural's and the defenders come out of where they were and look around. Kira asks, "Is it really over?" Scott is only able to nod in response.

**~O~**

Lydia and Meredith are talking at the Sheriff station. Lydia asks, "Why did you put your own name on a hit list?"

"I had to because it's what Kate wanted." Meredith says, "Too many people have died because of all the supernatural's. We're the monsters, including the banshees."

Lydia disagrees, "Not all monsters do monstrous things."

"Like who?" Meredith asks.

"Like Scott," Lydia answers.

"Like you," Meredith says as she touches Lydia's cheek. She takes her hand away and whispers, "Oh god, what have I done?" in realization.

**~O~**

Stiles is wandering through the new Pack House. While each of the Pack members has their own room or room for a couple. There are still plenty of empty rooms for expansion of the Pack and rooms that are too big for anything useful. He was still trying to figure out how all of these assassins had gotten past his wards.

He looked around at the huge room he was currently standing in. He swore whoever had final approval of the design had been a builder of castles and keeps or something. This room was lined with solid wood planks not paneling actual planks that were joined together so cunningly you couldn't really find a single seam, unless you were actually a werewolf perhaps.

The teen had visions of great halls as he looked around at the huge space, and with a firm eye toward what he could do with those bare wood walls the young Spark decided to set to work on building the space into what he thought it was meant to be.


	76. Chapter 76

**A/N~ So back on schedule sort of but not sure I can keep it going. Just to warn you. Also thanks to everyone who offered messages of support you have no idea how much they mean to me. Thanks again and please read, enjoy and review. ~A**

**Chapter 73**

The Nemeton is now becoming a tree again. The trunk is still misshapen, not yet having grown into what was left of the root base. Stiles and Derek are both naked again under the spreading branches of the Nemeton tree.

Derek was beginning to develop a bit of a complex about this tree. They seem to be coming here more frequently.

As if reading his lovers mind the Spark reminds Derek, "We keep coming here because we keep having more and more to be grateful for lately."

Derek gave Stiles a glare like his beloved had lost all sense of reality. "Stiles the kanima, the Nogitsune, the dead pool, the Berserkers and all the other hits we've taken over the past few years. What exactly do we have to be grateful for?"

"How about the fact that we survived, the fact that we're all still here." Stiles explained he said in his usual energetic way. Before reminding more tentatively, not sure still how much Derek remembered from the previous timeline, "Last time around it didn't work out that way."

Although he looked somewhat mollified the Alpha still gazed recalcitrant at the younger man before Stiles reminded him of another fact. "And we have each other." Derek softens and Stiles kisses him thoroughly.

While he is receiving the literally toe curling kiss from his mate. Derek has a vision of his mother, fully shifted into the red-eyed black wolf he remembered from his youth. She is standing with many other red-eyed black wolves. He recognized them as the Alpha's and ancestors of his Pack, who came before him.

Somehow the vision triggers the young Alpha into a full on shift right in the middle of the pairs kissing session. The teen suddenly finds himself with a lap full of wiggling furry joy. The Spark laughs aloud as he watches his mate chasing around the tree and surrounding clearing. Chasing sunbeams, a butterfly, motes of dust and even his own tail for a few seconds. Stiles own laughter echoes around the clearing along with the yips of the newly transformed Alpha.

The young magic user is thrilled for his mate and the pair do a little dance around the tree, half game half actually just enjoying the oddness of the situation. Then Derek actually sits on his haunches and scratches the back of his ear vigorously for a minute and Stiles helps by scratching all along wolf-Derek's back and ruff.

Derek huffed a wolfly laugh and then closed his eyes in pleasure at the scratching. Then his eyes opened and he lick kissed Stiles on the face. "Ok, no offense but I much rather kiss your human self, more finesse." he explained.

Derek nodded his head once and closed his eyes again, there was a moment of fine tension and then…nothing. Derek opened his eyes and looked around. He looked down and then back up at Stiles as he huffed in mild irritation. He closed the golden eyes of the wolf again before reopening the Alpha red ones in obvious distress and still unchanged wolf body.

Stiles could only say, "Uh-oh," was all Stiles could come up with as the Alpha looked down again to find himself still in the wolf body. "Got stuck huh?" Stiles said unnecessarily before covering up a barely there snicker. Derek-wolf whined and gave a sharp yip at the boy he loved.

"Hey totally not my fault," Stiles said holding up both hand to the Alpha as he reminded, "All I did was kiss you, you're the one who changed."

The wolf was staring at the Spark with a decidedly calculating stare as he stalked forward, "Whoa," Stiles said holding up his hand as he added, "I am not kissing you when you're like this. Way too many teeth."

Derek stopped mid-stride rearing back his massive black furred head and whined again.

"Don't worry we'll figure it out," Stiles responded crawling forward to rub the wolves nose gently, eyes distant as he considered several different scenarios. "OK so lets start with the most obvious first. What do you do when you need to shift out of Beta mode?"

**~O~**

A man turns on a light bulb and then drags a body bag into an industrial sized freezer which has both animals and people hanging from hooks. He drops the bag and leans down close to it, listening. Someone in the bag struggles and he tells them to relax because he's going to open it. He does revealing a girl bound in duct tape. "It's Kalissa, right?" he asks. She nods and sees knives on the wall. He tells her that she isn't going to be leaving there. He then tells her that contrary to traditional culinary practices, to someone like him the kill tastes better when it's been frightened.

The man is a wendigo, and he snarls in her face trying to frighten her more. Kalissa looks over his shoulder and suddenly stops struggling. Deaton is standing there, and he whips out a baton. The wendigo grabs meat hooks and they fight. As he's about to win, the wendigo informs Deaton the dead pool is over, so he isn't going to get paid. "I'm not here to kill you Patrick," Deaton says. "I'm here to take you back to Eichen House where they know all about your culinary practices." He then knocks Patrick out with one blow to the head.

Deaton takes the tape off Kalissa's mouth and she asks, "Are you a cop?"

He frowns and says, "Veterinarian."

At Eichen House, they wheel Patrick away. Dr. Conrad Fenris advises Deaton against going to see the man he intends to see. Deaton replies that he came through on his end of their bargain and all he wants to do is talk to him. "The last person that went to see Valack left the room but not the building." Fenris says. Deaton isn't swayed and heads to see Valack anyway.

Dr. Valack is behind a plexiglass wall in his cell. He says that Deaton must be important because they don't usually let people get this close. Valack complains that while they let him read, all he gets to read are trashy romance novels. He tosses the one in his hand on a pile on the floor. Valack recognizes Deaton by name and says he knows his specialty isn't cats and dogs. Deaton says he's there because of what Valack knows about South American mythology, but Valack says he's there to learn about Kate Argent. "You want to know about La Loba. The Bone Woman. Deaton looks thrown for a moment. "I need to know what she did to Cora Hale and if she's dying?" "Why?" "Because of a promise I made. To a woman I loved."

Valack tells Deaton to come close, but Deaton replies that he's been advised against it. He's only there to talk, to hear what he knows. "You need to see what I know," Valack says. He removes a band of cloth from around his head, revealing a hole. Deaton looks distressed and says that just because Valack trepanned himself doesn't mean he's given himself extra-sensory perception.

Deaton looks at the hole and is drawn to it. Valack urges him on and Deaton seems to move against his will staring at it. Inside Valack's head, a third eye opens.

**~O~**

Scott comes home from work to find his mom in the kitchen. As he's explaining to her that he got extra hours to earn some extra money, he sees that she has found the duffle bag of cash. "How much more did you need?" Melissa asks him. Scott explains that he found the money from the dead pool inside of Garrett's locker. Melissa asks if he's keeping Derek's money safe for him in a gym bag underneath his bed. Scott doesn't quite know how to reply, so she asks him how long he's had it. "Too long," Scott says. She tells him he has to give it back, and he says that he was going to. "Do I wanna know why you haven't?" Melissa asks.

Scott looks at the money and says that its because of her. She realizes that its because they have been struggling. "Scott, you can save peoples lives, but you cannot save them from life. Life is full of struggle." Scott shakes his head. "But it doesn't have to be." Scott picks up a stack of money and says that that one gets them a new roof. Another one pays for Stiles MRI. A third pays for Eichen House. The fourth means that she doesn't have to work double shifts and comes home exhausted.

Melissa gives him a look and picks up a stack of bills covered in blood. "What about this one?" He nods his understanding that he can't profit because of the dead pool.

**~O~**

Meanwhile Liam and Mason Hewitt are playing video games in Liam's room. Mason demands to know how Liam got so good. "Have you been practicing or did you just suddenly get superhuman reflexes?" Liam quickly says he's been practicing. Mason gets up to leave, but Liam begs him to stay. Mason catches on that something is up but when he asks Liam if he's okay the other teen tells him he should leave.

A little later, Liam is trying to sleep, but he's still having PTSD from the encounter with the berserker. While he lays there he becomes hyperaware of the rain outside and a creak in the floor. He hears footsteps and growling and sees the berserker standing over him. When he can't take it anymore, he turns on the light and looks around to prove it isn't there.

**~O~**

Cora is in bed with Jackson, the now human female lies awake with her werewolf mate wrapped around her for some reason she cannot settle. She stares out at nothing and listens to the rain fall against the windows, finally the restlessness has her extracting herself from Jackson's arms and sitting up on the side of the bed. She looks back over her shoulder at the teen as he rolls into the warm spot she just left in the bed.

The proximity alarm goes off and the pair are out of bed ready to face whatever is coming. Cora pulls a gun from under her pillow and checks the windows first too used to various enemies crashing through them not to do so. They search the loft heading towards the door.

Cora spots movement outside the door and motions towards Jackson. The werewolf opens the door and they both face the intruder. The pair stare wide-eyed because it's a drenched Lydia. The banshee lifts her head and screams.

**~O~**

The next morning Malia tries to wake up her boyfriend Aiden who is as usual reluctant to go to school. His twin Ethan and Ethan's boyfriend Danny had come home the night before rather late and Aiden and Malia had borrowed Peter's car to go to the airport and pick them up. The airport was several towns over, busy and noisy even as late as the boys flight had arrived. Everyone's nerves had been jangled after that but they were all glad the missing Pack members were home.

Of course once they had gotten home, sleep was a tauntingly reluctant visitor. Malia reminded Aiden, "You do remember you have an early morning practice, and if I have to sit through an entire boring lacrosse game," she said leaning over him to gnaw on his ear affectionately, "You'd better not suck." Before she tossed some of his lacrosse equipment at him.

"Plus we're supposed to have a study session with Danny and Lydia to try and prep for the math exam tomorrow." Suddenly his book bag landed in the middle of his chest as Malia continued speaking. "A math exam," she reminds him, "that is supposed to determine if we can move on to the next grade with the rest of our Pack mates."

Suddenly she is pounced and pulled back into the bed by Aiden who says, "We have twenty minutes before you have to get in the shower and get ready, I already have street clothes in the bag you just attacked me with. If you haven't messed up my equipment too much we can go directly to practice and I can shower there after practice. So any ideas what we can do with the extra twenty minutes?"

The were-coyote gave the Alpha twin a decidedly toothy smile as she stripped her t-shirt back off over her head and said, "Several."

**~O~**

In the Pack House, the Alpha shoves the bag of money away from himself, and says, "Okay?"

Although Stiles is puttering in the nearby kitchen, they both know that he is listening in. Scott asks, "Do you want to know why it took so long to return it?"

Instead of answering Derek asks Scott, "How much do you make at the animal clinic?"

"Minimum wage," Scott replies.

Derek shrugs, "That's why. Everyone can be tempted Scoot. Even a True Alpha."

Scott is stunned that Derek isn't angry. "It's not even mine." the Alpha explains, "It belongs to Peter."

Scott asks Derek "Where's your money?"

"You're standing on it." Derek answers

Scott, looks down, stunned. "There's another vault?" Stiles unfortunately happens to be taking a sip of his coffee and inhales a snootful of the hot caffeinated brew. Derek laughs at the statement and continues to chuckle at his mate, even as he stands up and gently reaches over to stroke his hand over Stiles back soothingly.

He explains to Scott, "I own the loft building and several other properties. I have my own bank accounts. Not to mention Ms. Spenser has signed the rights to the Pack House over to me. All the money from the vault was Peter's, not that he really needs it either as it's only a small part of his wealth as well." The Alpha goes on to explain, Werewolves especially older or higher ranking ones have a habit of collecting their wealth and stashing it away for future generations."

When Scott gives his confused puppy look, Stiles actually rolls his eyes before reminding the True Alpha "Dogs burying bones?"

The other teen suddenly lit up in understanding. Derek admits as he zips up the bag, "I think it would be better if the rest of the money is never recovered." He doesn't see it but Stiles has an expression on his face as if he disagrees with his mate but seems reluctant to discuss it in front of Scott.

Derek finishes zipping up the bag but the expression on Scott's face says there is more to this visit. Scott admits, "I know Lydia was at the loft last night, and that she had confronted Cora." He adds that, "Deaton is working on figuring out what Kate did. If anyone can find an answer, it's him."

**~O~**

Deaton gasps awake in an overgrown dreamscape of a church surrounded by bones. He pulls an antler out of an altar, and it's covered in blood, like the one they pulled out of Scott's stomach.

Outside the dream, Deaton is on a bed in Eichen House and Dr. Fenris is checking on him. Fenris tells his people, "Check on Dr. Deaton every hour on the hour and keep me posted of any changes."

**~O~**

At school Malia shows off her test grade to Lydia. "I passed!" nearly dancing in her excitement.

Lydia isn't impressed with the C-minus Malia got, even though Malia is thrilled. Coach then slaps down another test on Malia's desk where she's failed. Coach tells her, "I'm disappointed, Malia," and Malia looks deflated.

Lydia agrees to send her more notes. Then she looks up at the board, which has rich people's net worth at the times of their deaths adjusting for inflation. It's a little too close to home, thinking about people dying.

Kira sees the effect the words have on Lydia and leans over to assure her, "It's all over. The computer is off, so there won't be any more assassins. No one's dying."

Lydia looks away before muttering, "Not yet."

**~O~**

Liam and Mason are in the weight room. Liam puts a lot of weight on the bench press and Mason offers, "Hey you need someone to spot you?"

Liam is snide about it and refuses the help. He lifts the bar just to prove Mason wrong.

Mason has had enough of Liam's attitude and leaves. While he lifts the weight Liam has a flashback to the roof with the berserker. He starts to panic and can't lift the weight anymore. Scott arrives quickly and lifts the bar off of him. Liam coughs but claims, "I'm fine. I just got distracted."

Scott tells him, "If you don't want to be a part of the Pack, that's fine but you shouldn't push your friends away too." Liam looks over Scott's shoulder and sees a berserker in the mirror.

**~O~**

Chris is in the sewer tracking Kate and finds Peter instead. "How'd you find her?" Chris asks.

"Keen sense of smell. You?" Chris pulls out the antler that impaled Scott. "There was calcium hydroxide on it, which is used almost exclusively in water treatment plants."

Peter says with a twinkle of pride, "Your tracking ability is as always very impressive. H says as he looks around and wonders out loud, "Do you think any of the berserkers might still be around?"

A berserker comes around the corner and Chris starts shooting.

**~O~**

Scott opens the door to Derek's loft and leads Kira inside. "It doesn't look like Derek or Cora are home." she comments.

"They aren't," Scott replies.

"Then what are we doing here?" she asks.

"You'll see," he assures.

Kira asks, "Can you turn on the lights?"

He smiles and tells her, "You have to do it." He brings her hand to a light bulb, and it begins to glow. The electricity spreads to a cloud of light bulbs hanging around the loft. Scott asks, "How'd I do?"

"For our first real date? It's a start." Kira says.

Scott asks, "Did you bring a movie?"

She produces "_Star Wars", _from her backpack. Telling the other teen, "Stiles said you'd never seen it before. He also said he would kill you if you didn't. The kitsune glances around the loft and asks, "Where's the tv?" They end up using Derek's computer.

Scott asks, "Is _"Star Wars" _ the fourth one?"

"No, it's the first one, even though it says the fourth." Kira finally gives up on the explanation and closes the laptop. She starts making out with Scott instead.

Scott suddenly stops, confused as he hears something, and Kate and a berserker, break through the window of the loft.

**~O~**

Sheriff Stilinski comes into Stiles bedroom where Derek and Stiles appear to be working on some chemistry homework. Although Stiles hair is suspiciously mussed and the Alpha is sporting a new hickey on his neck and the Chemistry text book that Derek is holding is turned upside down.

John tells them, "Drop what you're doing you two. I'm going to take us all out for dinner."

"Dad I don't think a man of your debts should be treating anyone to anything," Stiles says.

His dad replies, "There's one debt they no longer have to worry about." He then produces a letter from Eichen House. The letter states that they're dropping the bill on account of Brunski nearly killing Stiles.

"I have never been so happy to have almost been murdered." Stiles says. Derek looks decidedly disturbed by the statement.

"Our debts aren't totally gone but, at least, for the moment, I can take my son and his boyfriend out to dinner," the Sheriff says cheerfully. "Derek what's your favorite food?"

Before the werewolf can answer, Stiles says in a slightly high pitched voice, "Pizza, his favorite food is pizza." Derek merely smiles at them both, benignly.

**~O~**

Chris gets held up to the wall by a berserker only to have Peter slam a pipe into the taller creatures side. "Nobody holds my baby up against a wall except me." When the berserker releases the former hunter, Peter grabs him by the arm and puts his mate behind him as he takes the pipe and slams it through the middle of the berserkers abdomen and then bends a hook in the end of the metal tube.

He pulls Chris back around to face him and says, "Your sister is getting on my last nerve." He then palms the other mans face and leaning their foreheads together he adds, "Don't run off like that, we work better together."

To the berserker he says, "You hang around we may have questions later," as he guides his mate out of the tunnel.

**~O~**

Cora and Jackson are sitting on top of a park bench making out. Jackson had actually brought a blanket more for comfort rather than the cold. Cora is directing him with her hands to where she wants his kisses on her neck.

Cora actually wrenches his neck in the wrong direction and he gives a little cry of pain and actually says, "Ow!" as he pulls her hands away from his face. He tells her, "Hey, not as breakable as a human, but still breakable here. What you taking lessons from Derek or something?"

"Sorry," the other Beta says as her fingers clench dejectedly. "Not really very good at this. Guess I'm used to being bossy."

"And a little scary," he adds before continuing thoughtfully, "Although come to think of it that might just be a Hale hereditary feature."

"Great so I'm hereditarily abusive, that doesn't sound horrible at all." Cora said a little morosely.

Jackson shakes his head as he confesses, "I don't mind the bossiness or the scariness so much," he tells her as he nuzzles her cheek. Carefully moving her hair out of the way as he adds, "Just as long as you occasionally you let me take care of you every once in a while."

She smiles at him beautifully and agrees, "I think I can handle that."

**~O~**

Mason drops a new video game next to Liam. "I know something's going on. I know you don't want to talk about it. But you're still my best friend. The last good friend I made was a professional killer, so I'm running kind of low on friend options." He says, "You should talk when you're ready, but until then I'm going to kick your ass in at least one of these games."

Liam picks one up and says with a grateful smile, "Never played this one before."

**~O~**

Scott comes back to consciousness being held aloft by the berserker. It throws him against the loft door, and he hit's the floor hard. Kate kicks Kira, sending her flying, which gets Scott to his feet. Scott and Kate fight while Kira takes on the berserker. She grabs a length of chain, which the berserker simply uses to draw her in closer and hit her harder.

Kate knocks Scott down and shoves him against a beam. It's clear that he's losing. He watches as the berserker holds Kira up by the hair. He asks Kate, What do you want?"

"I want a little bit of insight, Scott." the woman says still barely able to hold her control over the jaguar within.

"Insight into what?" the teen gasps painfully as she holds him against the beam.

"My family." she replies and somehow the mention of her family calms her back into her human form. "The Argent family has been around for over 400 years. A powerful, wealthy, aristocratic family of werewolf hunters. Yet somehow, in less than a year, this great family is decimated by a teenaged boy. So my question is simple. What the hell is so special about Scott McCall?"

Scott tells her, "Then take me but only me/"

Kate laughs in his face, "Nah. We're all going to church!." Then roars.

**~O~**

Later, Stiles and Liam go into the locker room. Stiles says, "Scott is fine, he got a text from him saying that he was going to be late."

"How late is late, because we're going up against Devenford Prep again?" Liam asks

Coach overhears them talking and asks, "Who's going to be late.

?"

Liam admits, "Scott and Kira."

Coach asks, "What could Scott and Kira be doing right now that could be more important than playing in the first game?"

Stiles just gives a pained look at the older man and looks at Liam as he says, "Oh Coach."

The lights go on over the lacrosse field. Malia, Derek, and the Sheriff take a seat. As does Mason Hewitt further down the bleachers.

Liam looks around, "They're still not here," he says, whining.

Stiles asks, "What's really going on? Are you nervous about the full moon? It's not for another 24 hours." Stiles tells him, "Don't worry about it."

Liam asks, "Are you worried?"

Stiles says, "I'm mildly concerned." Then texts Derek saying, "Very, very worried, about Scott and Kira not being here by now."

Liam declares, "We're going to lose without them."

Stiles insists, "We're going to do just fine without Scott. The Spark adds, "I've been practicing and I'm getting really good."

Stiles gets knocked over and then falls over nothing. It seems as if pre-Spark Stiles is back for however long. Liam comes over to just give the older teen a look. "I'll call Scott again."

**~O~**

**?**Chris is on his cell in the parking area outside of the lacrosse field. Parrish is on the other end of the line, "Your sister, took Scott and probably Kira. She and the berserkers with her are heading toward the border right now."

"You were following her?" Chris asks incredulously.

"Ever since Meredith Walker," Parrish replies.

Chris is about to head out after his sister and then remembering what his mate had said earlier, instead tries to call him first.

**~O~**

**Meanwhile in the pitch: **Devenford scores again. Stiles tells Liam, "I can't get hold of either Scott or Kira. Neither of them is answering their cell phones. I need to go see what's going on."

Liam asks worriedly, "What am I supposed to tell Coach?"

"Improvise," the Spark advises over his shoulder. Stiles goes to talk to his dad and Derek.

They decide Malia will stay at the game in case Scott and Kira show up.

Coach yells at Liam to get on the field. Devenford gets the ball and makes a drive across the field. Liam goes to intercept, but sees a berserker kill another player and freezes. The other team runs right by him and scores.

Peter sits down next to Malia and asks, "Who's winning?"

**~O~**

In Eichen House, Dr. Fenris tells his staff, "I'm afraid Dr. Deaton is a lost cause. We need to move him to the sixth floor." Lydia shows up and declares, "You're not moving him anywhere." She comes in the room and says, "I want to talk to him."

Fenris tells Lydia, "Dr. Deaton isn't responding to stimuli. We honestly don't know if he can hear us."

"Trust me on this." Lydia replies, "He'll hear me."

**~O~**

On the field Liam gets the ball and is making a good run, but Brett knocks him down with a brutal and illegal hit. "What's you do that for?" Liam demands.

"Because you're afraid, I can smell it on you from across the field." the other werewolf advises the young Beta harshly.

Malia tells her father honestly, "Our team isn't doing so well without Kira, Scott, and Stiles. Although Aiden seems to be doing pretty well." Just then Aiden is hit from two sides by part of the Devenford Prep team. Both Malia and her father wince in sympathy at the sound the Alpha twin makes as he hit's the ground.

Malia still visibly wincing admits, "Ok, maybe not now." Although Aiden does get up off the ground he is obviously a little wobbly and everyone winces when he lierally puts his own arm back in the socket while still on the field.

"So is this father-daughter bonding time?" the young were-coyote asks.

"More like family bonding time," Chris says as he comes around the other end of the bleachers and joins them as he closes his cell phone. "I just got off he phone with Allison and Issac, Parrish is apparently tracking Kate, right now. She took Scott and Kira and is heading toward the border from all accounts."

"And we're?" Malia asks in a confused tone.

"Doing what we all do best," Chris replies as he jumps off the bleachers and looks back over his shoulder with a feral smile, "Hunting."

**~O~**

Brett finds Liam in the locker room and asks, "Are you okay?"

"We lost," Liam points out.

Brett rolls his eyes at the other boy and asks him again, "Yeah but are you okay?"

Instead of answering Liam asks, "Why did you help me?"

"Because of Scott. He saved me. He saved all of us." Brett tells Liam. He also tells Liam, "You're lucky to have an Alpha like Scott. One who earned his power." He tells the younger werewolf, "You're like your Alpha, you're both strong because you endure."

"Then why isn't he here?".

**~O~**

Derek, Stiles and the Sheriff arrive at the loft, to find Cora, Jackson, and Braeden already there. The trio are there checking out the destruction caused by the previous battle. Stiles asks, "What happened?"

Cora explains, "It was supposed to be a date. I helped Scott set it up."

Jackson confirms, "Both Kira and Scott were here but are gone now."

Lydia calls Stiles, "Scott was taken by Kate and the berserkers."

Stiles replies, "Its both Scott and Kira that have been taken but we don't know where."

Deaton gets on the line and tells the Spark. "They've been taken to Mexico. And if you want to save his life, that's where you're going too." Deaton looks at Lydia and she places her hand over his.

**~O~**

In La Iglesia, Kira wakes up in a cell, on top of a pile of bones. She pushes herself into a sitting position and after a moment she calls Scott's name.

**~O~**

Scott wakes up on the berserker altar from Deaton's dream. He's strapped down and wrapped in wolves bane like Cora had been when they found her. Kate asks Scott, "Did they ever teach you the myth of Artemis and Actaeon in school?" Before he can actually answer she goes on, "Artemis was a goddess and Actaeon was a hunter who happened to see Artemis bathing one day. Artemis was so angry she turned Actaeon into a deer, and his own dogs tore him apart."

Kate picks up a berserker helmet, and Scott asks, "What are you doing?"

She laughs, "I'm not going to turn you into a deer. But you are gong to become something unrecognizable to your friends."

"Stop, don't do this," Scott begs. Kate puts the mask on him, and he screams.


	77. Chapter 77

**A/N~ Okay, so at this point, I think I'll just be happy if I finish this story at or before the end of the actual TV series. On the positive side I think it will only be a few more chapters really. On the negative side or alternate side, my reality is also becoming more hectic as time goes by. So as I said before, more sporadic posting, that sort of thing. Please enjoy and bear with me, loves! ~A**

**Chapter 74**

Kira wakes up in the dungeon on top of a pile of bones. The door to her cell is open so she goes to investigate, calling for Scott warily. She can't see in the dark and feels her way down the hallway, not noticing a berserker in an alcove. The berserker lifts his head and steps out to follow her down the passage. Kira sees what looks like a way out, but as soon as she starts to hurry toward it, she sees a berserker blocking her path. She turns to go back but the other one is right there.

He grabs her as she screams and slams her against the wall. As they struggle, Kira sees the tattoos on the berserker's arm and realizes that it's Scott. He throws her to the ground but stops at the sound of Kate's growl. Kate saunters in and says that she'll have to do a better job of covering his tattoos.

Kira asks hoarsely, "What did you do to him?"

Kate says, "How. That's the better story." She explains, "When I first escaped from the Calaveras, I had no idea where to go but I felt drawn to La Iglesia, to the temple of Tezcatlipoca. His name means Smoking Mirror, and this is the temple of the smoking mirror." She draws her fingers across a slash mark on the wall, "Obsidian." She explains that when she got to the temple she found the berserkers there waiting for her. "They helped me survive and I didn't quite know why until just recently." She turned to face the kitsune and said as her face shifted to that of the were-jaguar, "Revenge."

She continues, "I found out that in addition to controlling the berserkers I could also create them. They call me La Loba, the bone woman."

Kate tells Kira, "We let you out to test Scott's loyalty. Scott's been through a lot without having to kill, but I wants to change that." Scott pulls an antler off of his outfit and stabs Kira in the stomach with it.

**~O~**

Sheriff Stilinski closes his office door and the blinds and turns on Stiles, "You are not going to Mexico."

"Dad, Scott and Kira have been kidnapped and taken to Mexico. I think that's a pretty good reason for a trip to Mexico."

"I think we should alert the proper authorities." the Sheriff said stoically.

Stiles didn't roll his eyes at his father but it was a very close thing. "And when they ask for a description of the kidnappers, we say be on the look out for a female were-jaguar and a seven foot tall bone berserker." the teen replied sarcastically, "Dad, I can't wait around for the wheels of bureaucracy to start spinning in five different offices. Someone needs to go down there right now, find them and rescue them. I'm going."

The Sheriff tells his son, "I can keep you from going."

The young Spark flicks his fingers and a ball of purple energy floats above his hand as he insists, "Even being locked in a cell, won't hold me."

Even knowing he was probably fighting a losing battle the Sheriff offered, "At least give me enough time to verify that they've really been taken beyond a vision from a guy with a third eye."

Stiles reminds him, "Parrish is one of your own deputies and he saw them being taken by the berserkers and Kate. So now you're just making excuses."

"I'll book two flights to Mexico." the Sheriff finally conceded.

"Okay, okay great." Stiles said as he flicks the energy ball out of existence. "Do I get a gun?"

The Sheriff squints at his son and says flatly, "No."

**~O~**

Derek, Cora, Braeden and Jackson all in the loft. Braeden checks her gun as Cora stares at the table full of guns and admits, "I don't like relying on these things."

"I get it you miss your power," the Marshall said.

Cora and Derek looked at each other and Derek shakes his head at his sister, who looks at the other woman and explains. "It's not the power. It's about being able to help. I don't like feeling helpless. Not being able to help my Pack and protect our territory. Being human isn't as strong as being a werewolf."

"I'm human," Braeden tells the former werewolf as she slaps a clip home, "Do I look helpless.

Derek shrugs at his sister and says, "She has a point."

Jackson adds, "Trust me I know you're not helpless. You think the fear of your helplessness is what keeps me in line?"

Even Derek snorts at that comment and says sotto voice, "This is you in line?"

Cora meanwhile relaxes into the embrace that the young Beta pulls her into. Something in Cora's expression wipes the smile off of Jackson's face and he asks, "You really think you won't be coming back?"

"Not…alive." Cora admits.

"You know I'm not okay with that," Jackson says vehemently. As he puts there foreheads together.

"None of us are," Derek adds before turning away from the pair to give them the privacy they need. He stares at the table full of weapons and admits, "I'm not sure we have enough firepower to take down even one berserker.'

"Not even close," Peter says as he walks down the spiral staircase. "Killing a berserker is next to impossible. Not just the firepower. Its breaking the animal spirit from the human."

"The one person we know with the proper experience is Chris," he looks at his uncle as he continues gently, "and he's not answering his phone."

Peter replies, "That's because he's already tracking them." He adds, "We're going to need help, like Malia, maybe Liam and definitely him.

**~O~**

Stiles rifles through Scott's closet and tosses Malia a shirt. She takes a sniff of the shirt and says, "Fabric softener." Stiles realizes they can't use clean clothes to get Scott's scent, so he rushes to the bathroom and opens the hamper. He pulls out a pair of boxers, but Malia just makes a face at him. Instead she turns and grabs a pillow from Scott's bed. "Yeah that works too."

They head downstairs to find Liam waiting for them. Stiles tells him, "You need to head back home because you're not coming with us."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a full moon and I don't feel like driving all the way down to Mexico just to have you rip my throat out, once we get there."

Liam wheedles, "I was hoping you would be able to chain me up in the back seat, or something."

Malia reminds him, "You tore through the last set of chains we tried."

"We'd have to freeze you in carbonite to get you down there," Stiles explains.

Liam replies with an enthusiastic grin, "Great idea!" Because he too hasn't seen "Star Wars" either.

Stiles gives him a squinty look. "Seriously? You haven't seen it either?"

Stiles tries to explain, "Look Liam you don't have to help us. You don't have to put yourself in danger."

Liam wants to go though, "There has to be bigger chains or a bigger trunk that you can put me in."

Stiles decides, "Maybe there is."

**~O~**

As they pack for the trip to Mexico, the Alpha Pair are discussing the best way to secure Liam. Stiles says more to himself than any thing, "Too bad we can't do it with carbonite." A spark of interest comes to life in his eyes as he says, "I am a Spark, I can imagine it, it could happen."

"No Stiles, we're not putting Liam in carbonite for the trip down to Mexico." Derek tells his mate, "Braeden said she has an idea on at least part of the way to handle the situation. Let's see what she has in mind."

"At least you've seen the movie and know what I'm talking about," Stiles replies petulantly, "Why is Braeden still here? I thought she only works if she gets paid. So who's paying her now? I'll tell you who, nobody." The Spark replied showing his jealousy over the bounty hunter still hanging around ogling his mate.

"She's just hoping if she hangs around long enough she'll be able to get in your pants and have happy…erf." The teen got so involved pacing while he ranted about it that he literally tripped over the duffle bag full of money from the dead pool.

Stiles struggled with getting his foot loose from the strap of the duffle. Derek came over and gave his mate his hand to help him back up from the floor. Okay we've got to figure out what to do with this rather than keep it here.

Derek agreed with the Spark but asked, "So what did you have in mind?"

Stiles goat a distant look in his eyes for several minutes and then said, "Bones."

Derek studied the Spark nonplussed as he asked, "Stiles?"

"Sorry," the younger mate replied, "I was thinking that we should divide it up among the Pack so that they could pay off bills, maybe make a college fund or just start their own buried bones account

**~O~**

Malia and Liam meet Stiles, Derek and the others in a warehouse. Braeden got a prison transport van. Stiles asks her, "How did you get this?"

The bounty hunter replied, "I'm a U.S. Marshall."

Stiles said, "I thought it was just a cover. I guess it's true."

Derek gets out of his Camaro and motions to Liam and says, "We're really bringing him?"

In turn Stiles responds, "Why not," points to Peter and says, "We're bringing him, aren't we?"

Peter replies, "We're bringing everyone that we can." As the Alpha twins ride up on their motorcycles, with Danny riding on the back of Ethan's bike carrying a rather hefty backpack.

Cora and Jackson pull up in his Porsche, with Cora carrying her own backpack slung over one shoulder and a shotgun over the other. "And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going."

"Where's Allison?" Erica asked as she and Boyd actually pulling into the warehouse in an old pickup, "and Issac?"

"They're with Chris and Parrish, already in Mexico, tracking down where Kate has taken Scott and Kira." Peter supplied helpfully. "So far it seems likely she took them back to the same temple that she took Cora to when she was kidnapped."

Derek suggests, "She could be planning on doing the same thing to Scott that she did to Cora."

Liam asks, "Why would she want to make him younger?"

Derek suggests, "It could be to take him back to before he was a werewolf."

Peter says, "A werewolf can't steal the power of a True Alpha, but a were-jaguar with the power of Tezcatilpoca behind her…might be able to."

Everyone now looks a little nervously at each other. Peter goes on a little stoically, "So if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going."

"Which is where I come in." Danny says as he pulls small tactical looking boxes out of his and Aiden's backpacks. Everyone gets a box some of them have watches, some glasses and all of them have ear wigs. The watches monitor your vitals, the glasses makes it where I can see what you see, the ear wigs are voice activated and you can hear each other and me. "I'll stay here and run interference with the sheriff and make sure you're cleared to cross the border."

Stiles declares, "We can't leave yet, we don't have Lydia."

**~O~**

At the school Lydia goes into Kira's locker and gets a jacket. "I hope this works." Lydia says aloud. Then she hears growling and ducks just as a berserker punches the locker.

**~O~**

In the garage Stiles tries to call Lydia again, while Peter paces.

"What is she doing at the school anyway?" Derek asks.

Malia explained, "We got Kira's sword, but we needed something with a stronger scent on it to track her." Stiles comes back and reports that Lydia isn't answering.

Braeden suggests, "Maybe we should go ahead and let Lydia catch up." Peter though worried about the young woman is eager to be off and catch up with his mate and Allison.

Stiles doesn't agree, "Lydia not answering might mean that she's in trouble."

Peter suggests, "Why don't we let Stiles stay behind and find her while the rest of us go on without him." Derek clearly isn't thrilled with that idea, and the Alpha pair share several speaking glances.

Instead Liam offers, "I could call Mason, he has a study group at the school and could look for her." Derek gives Stiles a look suggesting that this is a reasonable solution, and Stiles nods in agreement.

Stiles recommends, "I should ride with Derek and Liam, since I have some experience dealing with out of control teen wolves."

As they get ready to leave, Peter tells them, "While you might see human eyes behind the skulls, you shouldn't assume there's any humanity left in the berserkers."

Liam looks worried, and Peter picks up on how terrified he is. "Don't worry my friend it is that fear that will keep you alive. A reminder everyone you do not fight berserkers to survive. You fight to kill."

**~O~**

Mason is on his cell with Liam and checks the parking lot to discover that, "Yes Lydia's car is still here. I'll look around for her, let you know what I find." He offers.

**~O~**

The twins are in the front of their bikes, Malia has opted to ride with Aiden. Braeden is driving the police van with Derek, Stiles and Liam in the back. While Cora and Jackson are riding with Peter in Derek's SUV. Erica and Boyd are bringing up the rear in his pickup.

Derek locks Liam down with handcuffs. "All good?" Liam tests them, and then Derek tells him that he brought something along to help him. He pulls out the triskelion. "This has been with my family for centuries." the Alpha tells him. Stiles gives him a confused look as he explains that it's a very powerful supernatural talisman. "We use it to teach Betas how to control themselves on the full moon."

Derek hands the triskelion to Liam and gives Stiles a speaking look indicating for his mate to corroborate the story. The spark finally catches on and agrees, "Yes…it's powerful. Very powerful."

**~O~**

At the school Mason is walking around the school, looking for Lydia in empty classrooms. He eventually finds Kira's jacket and then Lydia's phone in the stairwell. He tries to turn on her phone and gets a photo of a berserker instead. A shadow falls over him and he looks up to see a berserker standing over him in real life.

**~O~**

Night falls while they're still on the road. Peter asks Cora and Jackson, "Do you mind if I turn this down?" Indicating the radio and then he does before they can really answer one way or the other. Peter asks Cora, "Are you worried?"

She admits, "Yeah I am, aren't you?"

Instead of answering her question, he asks her, "Are you worried about your brother, your cousins?"

"I'm worried about everyone." she admits keeping her eyes on the darkened landscape outside the window.

"Do I need to be worried about you?" Peter asks.

Jackson speaks up from the backseat and says firmly, "No, that's my job."

Peter almost sneers at the Beta as he reminds them both, "We have to go through the berserkers to get to Kate and then we have to go through Kate to get to Scott and Kira. It's going to be messy."

Cora informs him, "We don't have to kill people, Uncle."

Peter asks Cora, "Would you kill to save Jackson?" Cora doesn't have an answer for him she opts to stare at the full moon instead.

She mentions that, "The moon doesn't affect her as strongly as it once did, but I can still feel it."

"Good," Peter responds, "You're going to need that power."

**~O~**

Braeden checks on Derek, Liam and Stiles in the back of the van. Liam suddenly jerks in pain, his claws are out and he grips the triskelion harder. "Whatever you're going to teach me, I think you'd better start."

**~O~**

In La Iglesia, Kira is on the ground, wounded. She hears her mother talking to her. "Its alright to cry. It's no measure of your strength."

Kira replies, "I'm not strong. I need to get up."

"How do you know that you can't?" Noshiko asks her.

"Because I'm not healing," She complains to her mother, "You said I'd learn to heal."

"Then learn," Noshiko replies tartly.

Kira says, "I can't. I don't know how to start or what to do."

Noshiko advises her daughter, "Foxes and wolves are similar creatures." She asks the her daughter, "How would wolves make themselves heal?"

Kira remembers that its through pain. Even though she's clearly already in pain, Kira smashes an obsidian pane next to her and grabs a piece of glass. She squeezes it, making herself bleed more, and her eyes glow orange.

**~O~**

At the school Lydia reaches out and touches Mason's face. He wakes up with a start. He starts describing the berserker to her, and she just nods. Their phones are gone too. Mason asks "What is that thing going to do to us?"

Lydia admits, "I don't know. But it definitely doesn't want us to leave."

"Lydia why do you keep saying it?"

Before she can answer though the berserker growls and they both look down the hallway toward it. Mason asks, "What is it?"

"Not human," Lydia replies.

**~O~**

Derek tells Liam, "We have a mantra that we use. You repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating. You say the words until you feel control coming back to you." Liam glances at Stiles as Derek speaks. Then he winces in pain and asks Derek what the words are.

"Okay look at the triskelion. See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back, it looks just the same. Each spiral means something,"

Stiles offers helpfully, "Alpha, beta, omega."

"It represents the idea that you can always rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas. Alphas can become betas."

Liam looks at them both and asks, "Can Alphas become Omegas?" Derek nods silently.

He tells Liam, "All you have to do is say the three words, and with each one tell yourself that you're getting calmer." He urges Liam, "Now you try it.

"Alpha, beta,…"

"Slower."

XXXLiam tries again. He repeats the mantra, gasping, and Derek tells him to try it again. Liam does but there is more growl in his voice and Stiles scuttles a little further away and tells Derek he doesn't think it's working. Liam's eyes glow yellow and he lunges toward Derek, roaring. It throws the van around, and then Liam breaks the handcuffs and goes after Derek.

Derek wrestles with him. Braeden calls back in concern and Stiles yells back "We're going to need to go a little faster."

Derek tries to hold Liam off. Stiles yells at Derek, "I don't think, Alpha, Beta, Omega is resonating with Liam."

"Do you know any other mantras?" Derek shouts back.

Stiles thinks for a second, and he actually does. "Liam, what three things cannot long be hidden?"

Liam looks at him for a second and then goes back to attacking Derek. Stiles pulls on Liam's arm and demands that he look at him. "What three things cannot long be hidden? What three things?"

Liam stops fighting long enough to start answering. "The sun, the moon, and the truth." Stiles glances at Derek and then tells Liam to say it again.

Liam repeats it and is already starting to shift back. Braeden checks in again, and Derek informs her, "We're okay." Liam keeps repeating the mantra. Stiles claps Derek on the arm, and they all sigh in relief.

They arrive at La Iglesia. Liam says that he can't believe he did it. "For a minute there I thought I was going to tear the two of you apart."

"Yeah that would have made for an awkward ride home, so thanks." They notice that Peter has parked the SUV behind them.

Derek asks Liam seriously, "Think you if he can bring the same level of control and strength into La Iglesia?"

Liam flicks out his claws and Stiles cheekily announces, "We might just be able to pull this off."

Derek opens the back of the van, just as Cora opens the door to the SUV. The pair is immediately met by a berserker, who seems confused for a second on who to attack first. Only to have Cora's reflexes kick in and she begins shooting the berserker. She continues shooting even as it throws her into a rock wall and stabs her with one of the antler daggers from its armor.

Jackson is able to literally leap over the SUV and throw the berserker back into Peter and Derek who double team the creature each of them stabbing it with their clawed fingers through the chest. They lift it off the ground and in unison throw it through a crumbling stone wall.

"Cora," Erica cries as she and Boyd jump out of the truck and the blond rips off her denim jacket and rolls I into a cushion she puts under the other girls head. Ethan is talking softly to Danny on the comms unit a the twin run up.

The Beta falls to the ground beside his mate. As Derek and Peter slide to a stop beside the pair. "How bad is it?" Peter cries kneeling beside his niece who is trying to push he and her mate away.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." she says too quickly. "Just get to Scott. Just find him. We'll be right behind you. Go. Go!" Peter is the first to leave, although clearly reluctant to do so. Liam and Malia follow not far behind him. Stiles is standing undecided, Jackson is clearly in a daze, seeming traumatized by the amount of blood seeping between his Cora's fingers. The Hale siblings have an intense but short whispered conversation. Then Derek leaps to his feet and heads toward Stiles who is still looking back at the couple on the ground.

He catches Boyd's arm as he walks back and tells him, "Watch over them until we get back." Then he catches Stiles arm and both head after the others with a final look back at the couple.

Cora smiles weakly up at Jackson and says, "Lydia was right."

**~O~**

Inside the church everybody follows Peter. He brings them to a halt and the group tries to figure out where they are, then they'll be that much closer to figuring out where Scott and Kira are.

Stiles phone rings and the Spark looks down at it. "How the hell do I even have service? Hi dad," he answers the cell. Derek has the good grace to look a little embarrassed. Peter though gives the Alpha mate a "Seriously" look. Before looking at the others with the same expression. The twins merely shrug at the older werewolf.

Stiles tells his father, "Look dad I know you're angry…"

"Oh I'm beyond angry. I have reached a level of fury that you could not possibly comprehend."

Stiles offers, "You can ground me when I get back."

Peter sotto whispers, "If we get back."

The Sheriff replies, "Oh, I'm going to hobble you when you get back." Then asks in a clearly worried tone, "Are you okay? Tell me you're safe."

Stiles responds, "Do you want me to lie?"

The Sheriff gives up and asks, "How can I help?"

Stiles tells him, "Could you check on Lydia and Mason. They were both at the school and we haven't heard back from either of them." He says more quietly, "I don't know dad. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just… I'm trying to help my friends."

The Sheriff promises, "I'll find Lydia and Mason."

Stiles warns his dad, "If there's a berserker at the school, you're going to need a lot of firepower."

Stiles rejoins the others and Liam asks, "What should we do now?"

Malia glances over and then says, "Duck!" A berserker attacks and they run further into the ruins.

**~O~**

Outside Braeden asks Cora if she can still pull a trigger. Breathless she replies, "Yes."

The Marshall tells the younger woman, "Stay with me. You're going to be okay."

The former she wolf replies, "It's a mortal wound and right now I'm feeling pretty mortal."

Jackson gives her a serious look. "I'm not gonna let you die."

"We're not going to let you die." Erica corrects but without heat.

They hear something and Cora replies, "You might want to concentrate on keeping yourselves alive." Braeden takes her shotgun and she and Boyd go to have a look. The pair look down a street but don't see anything, They look back at Jackson and Erica. Jackson is checking on Cora.

Cora though is looking at the other pair at the entrance to the alley, indicates for them to check again, and this time they look to see Kate and a berserker walking down the street. Braeden pumps her shotgun as Boyd flicks his claws out as they prepare for a battle.

**~O~**

In the school, Lydia and Mason are pressed side by side against a wall, hiding. Lydia whispers to the other teen, "I don't hear the berserker anymore, I think we should go."

Mason tells her, "There's only one way out from this side of the basement."

"I know that," Lydia says a little waspishly, "but if we don't get out of here then someone's going to die."

Mason asks, "How do you know?"

The strawberry blond just sighs and explains, "I just do." Mason leans out to see if the berserker is blocking the door, and he walks into view.

**~O~**

Peter, Stiles, Liam, and Malia run into the main room of the temple. Malia tosses Stiles, Kira's sword and tells him, "Go find Kira and Scott." Stiles goes and the others turn to face the berserker.

**~O~**

Braeden empties several shots into the berserker. When her shotgun runs out, she switches to pistols. It doesn't slow the monster down. Jackson rushes forward to block the creature as Braeden takes aim at Kate who is engaged with Boyd. His long claw-tipped arms and hands have already slashed her several times, only to have her heal.

She grabs the larger werewolf and pulls him off balance and throws him to the ground.. The were-jaguar is too fast and soon grabs the bounty hunter by the throat, holding her up in the air.

"How much are they paying you?" Kate asks her as the berserker throws Jackson through the air beside them.

"Way more than you're worth." Braeden replies. Growls nearby show that Jackson is still in the game, even if it is on the losing end. Boyd too is starting to get back up. Kate smiles, then hears engines coming up behind them. Two vehicles pull into view, carrying the Calaveras.

A third pulls up with Parrish, Allison, Issac, and Chris in it. Parrish shoots from the drivers seat, Allison jumps out of the back, crossbow in hand and takes a shot at the berserker that's about to drive one of its bone daggers into Jackson. A spray of blood indicates she hit her target although after being hit it simply reaches under its arm and pulls out the bolt imbedded there.

Issac runs and actually manages to catch Kate off guard and crushes the wrist holding Braeden with one hand while catching the were-jaguars throat in his own clawed fist and throwing her away from the bounty hunter against a stone wall.

The were jaguar hisses at him and the werewolf roars back in her face, undeterred. "Issac," Chris yells from the other side of the SUV, the hunter has gotten out of the vehicle with an automatic rifle. The teen grabs the Marshall by the shoulder of her jacket where she had fallen, and gives Jackson a hand up. Boyd joins them as the berserker rushes over to Kate and hauls her up and behind him. Still growling Issac doesn't take his eyes off of the pair as he backs Braeden, Boyd, and Jackson up and away from the other pair. Once they are clear, Parrish and the two Argents fire at the berserker and Kate.

Kate and the berserker run. The Calaveras give chase, running past and around Braeden and the werewolves.

**~O~**

Stiles searches the tunnels for Scott but finds Kira instead. "It's Scott. Stiles, it's Scott. The berserker. It's him. Kate did it."

"What are you taking about?" Stiles asked.

"She made him into one of them. I don't know how, but it's him. And if they don't know it, they could kill him." Stiles realizes that that's why Lydia isn't there, because she would know if Scott was about to die.

Peter, Liam, Malia, and the twins take their turns attacking Scott.

**~O~**

Outside the Calaveras begin to drive Kate and the berserker back towards Braeden's van. Cora is still alive and watching the fire fight Jackson and Erica are on the ground near her watching her and the fight with equal attention. Boyd has gone with Issac and the Argents trying to track Kate down. But now Kate has headed back in their direction.

The berserker takes out a few men while Kate runs for cover. Braeden and Boyd keep an eye on the battle going on around them. on Cora again. She turns to the pair and tries to smile at them, but then she dies.

**~O~**

At the school Lydia and Mason find a basket full of bats. She picks one up. "Are you serious?" Mason hisses at her.

"Very." the banshee does a good impression of a growl back at him.

"A baseball bat. Against that guy? Thing? Or whatever it is?" the teen whisper yelled at her.

"My friends are in trouble. And so is Liam, your best friend. They need me. I'm going for it." She takes the metal bat and after an experimental swing, marches toward the berserker. Mason suddenly comes running past her, yelling, and takes a swing. The berserker backhands him, throwing him all the way down the hallway. Lydia takes her shots, and then she too gets smacked down the hall.

The berserker starts coming for them. "Excuse me," the Sheriff says succinctly, "Catch." He tosses something at the berserker and it catches it. It's a claymore mine. Lydia and Mason take cover and then the sheriff blows the explosive. The berserker explodes into dust and pieces of armor, rather than blood and tissue.

The Sheriff picks up the skull and pours some of the dust off of it. Lydia tells him that the berserker wanted to keep her in Beacon Hills. "I think this is all some sort of distraction."

"Because you know they were trying to kill someone." the sheriff says in understanding as he drops the skull back to the basement floor.

"Trying to kill who?" Mason asks.

Lydia's eyes well up, "Scott."

**~O~**

The twins have been knocked to the floor. Malia, Liam and Peter continue to fight Scott. They manage to knock him down, then Peter tosses Malia one of the antler daggers from the alter. "Take him!" he calls, "Aim for the skull! Kill It! Kill it now!"

Peter and Liam grab Scott and haul him up against the wall. Malia raises the dagger, ready to stab, when Stiles runs into the room and yells, "Wait!"

Kira rushes in and cuts the dagger apart. Malia stares at her. "It's Scott," Stiles explains. Liam then looks behind the mask and sees Scott's eyes.

Scott throws both Peter and Liam off and then punches Malia. He goes after Liam, Kira calls to him, begging him not to.

"Scott, it's me," Stiles tries. Scott backhands him, knocking him down.

They can only watch as Scott lifts Liam up, holding him against a column.

**~O~**

The Calaveras fan out to find Kate. Araya has a knife in her hand. Jackson is crying over Cora, holding her head in his lap. Kate is hiding around the front of Braedens van. A Calavera comes close and she comes out. He shoots her a few times, but she quickly disarms him. A second one gets dragged under the van. Everyone starts shooting at her, and Braeden steps out and starts shooting too.

A berserker takes out a few more men. Parrish calls to Chris, "They're not going down."

Chris has been slashed by one of the berserkers bone daggers and has dropped his rifle, switching to his pistol. He drops the clip and loads the gun with one round of yellow wolves bane.

**~O~**

Scott is about to punch Liam, but Liam begs him to listen. "You're not a monster. You're a werewolf… like me!" The message gets through as they look at one another and Scott lowers his arm.

He blinks and steps back and then starts trying to get the armor off. He tears away everything and then breaks the skull apart to remove it. Scott is shifted into a werewolf with his eyes glowing red as he breaks the spell.

He throws his head back and howls, everyone is energized by this and the other werewolves feel the need to answer him. Even Derek, Peter and the twins. Even Stiles and Kira give their own variations of a howl.

**~O~**

The Calaveras continue to get killed by the berserkers as Kate tries to make an exit. Braeden continues to shoot with Jackson mourning over Cora's body. Kate kills a Calavera, then Araya approaches her. "You're next Araya. I'm coming to kill you next!"

Araya whips out an electrified baton. "Come, La Loba. Let me show you how the Calaveras die." Kate roars, then a wolf howl sounds followed by another and another until the air is filled with the sounds of wolves howling. When the howling starts to fade another howl starts much closer, followed and answered by several more. They have both stopped and turned towards the sound. Braeden looks toward the sound. Then toward where Cora and Jackson were but they are both gone.

A black wolf jumps over one of the ruined walls and heads straight at Kate. His eyes glowing, a shifted Jackson lands behind her with a blood thirsty grin. The wolf attacks her, knocking her down and Kate screams in terror and pain as the wolf starts to maul her. When the wolf stops, she starts to crawl away. The wolf bares her teeth, and then Cora shifts into human form.

Kate looks up at her, no longer shifted herself. Braeden, the Calaveras, Parrish, Allison and Issac watch stunned.

"You were… you were dead." Kate manages to say in shock.

"No, I was evolving." Cora replies, "Something you'll never do."

A berserker tries to attack Cora but Jackson is watching over his mate and moves too quickly for it and grabs its skull mask. He rips the mask apart and the berserker underneath vanishes into dust. The mated pair stare at what's left of the creature in confusion.

Kate takes the opportunity to get up and run. Chris manages to shoot her with the wolves bane bullet. She sees that it was him and turns to run away. Chris lurches away from the wall and follows her.

Chris follows Kate into La Iglesia, still shooting. They face one another. "You wanna kill me, Chris?"

"No, but I don't want to save you anymore either. I don't know that you're worth saving." her brother responds.

She complains, "This is just like when we were kids, with you always trying to make me the bad guy."

"You are the bad guy, Kate." Chris responds sarcastically. "Or hadn't you noticed you're the one killing people. You're the one with blood on your hands Kate…literally." He indicates her hands and sure enough they're caked with blood and dust.

"Peter's not your little hero, Chris." She said ignoring her hands after a quick glance. "None of them are, they're all monsters."

"Peter would die for me, just as I would die for him or for our girls." Chris said as he stepped toward her. "Who would you die for?"

"Not you big brother," Kate smiles at him and declares, "You're not going to kill me. You were always the soft one. Living by that stupid code, teaching Allison about it." She backs away and says, "You're not going to catch me either. Not you. Not Peter, and not the Calaveras.." She takes another step and says, "Maybe you're right, maybe I am the monster in the fairy tale. But it's my fairy tale and I can guarantee as long as I'm alive, you'll never have a happy ending. I'll keep coming back until I finish off this little family of yours. Scott, Peter, Malia, even Allison, and that abomination out there. I won't stop until they're all dead and then I'll come for you. Not before I kill them all though and let you watch." Pained, she turns to run, and runs right into a waiting Peter and his extended claws.

Peter tells her as she gasps in pain and he lowers the dying woman to the ground. "You're right Kate I was never a hero, I was the monster. I am also his mate and I will protect him and our family from everyone and everything that would do us harm. Especially you." Peter said through his fangs.

Chris breaks down.

**~O~**

Peter stands supportively with his mate, their daughters and their daughters mates standing with them, as well as Ethan. Chris explains, "I made a deal with the Calaveras weeks ago, they would leave you, all of you alone if I would help them capture Kate." They watch as the Calaveras load what appears to be Kate's blanket wrapped body in the back of a nearby van as Araya glares at them.

"This isn't exactly the way either of us wanted it to end," Chris explains giving Peter an accepting look, "In the end, it's a better outcome than I had hoped for."

"Are you sure we can trust them?" Stiles asked.

"No," the former hunter admitted.

"Which is why when we get back, you and your mentor are gonna work on defensive and offensive spells, and warning spells. rather than wards, yes?" suggested Peter helpfully.

The Spark agreed, as his mate pulled him into a one-armed hug.

Jackson also hugs his mate scenting her neck from behind, "You just like my new scent."

"It's not new, it's just more intense," Jackson admits

Boyd holds the drivers side door open for Braeden. "So, you're not really a US Marshall, are you?"

"I was, but I spent too long looking for one person. It's hard to keep a job when part of it becomes an obsession."

Erica asked curiously, "Who were you after?"

"I only knew a code name: the Desert Wolf."

Recognizing the name the pair look at each other before Boyd asks stoically, "What did the Desert Wolf do that…inspired your obsession?"

The friendly smile fell from Braeden's face as her eyes swam with memories, "You'd really rather not know, the Wolf is a terrorist. Killing entire families at times."

Braeden climbs into the car just then so she misses the talking look between the couple and their follow-up glance at Chris. She drives a way with a wave in the mirror at the Pack she's leaving behind. The pair walk over to Chris and Peter and try to be subtle as Erica says, "We may have a new problem."

**~O~**

Back in Beacon Hills, the Sheriff is waiting for Stiles and Derek in his office. Stiles hugs his father and jokes, "Dad, you smell terrible."

"Yep, you do too." the Sheriff replies. Derek stands by awkwardly until they offer to bring him into the hug. The Sheriff tells them he's glad they're both safe and then he suggests to Derek that they get out of there and get something to eat. "Great, I'm starving," Stiles responds. They all start to walk off, but Stiles finds himself handcuffed to the desk.

"Yo, dad." Stiles calls. The Sheriff ignores him and asks Derek what his favorite food is. He replies pizza. The Sheriff shakes his head and says, "We really need to work on widening the Packs palette. There is life after pizza."

Stiles calls after them and then asks them to bring him back a slice.

**~O~**

In school, Noshiko hands Kira something. "The shard of obsidian that you brought back Kira. There is a reason that you kept it."

Kira opens the package and finds the obsidian carved into a shuriken. "Do you know what it is?" Noshiko asks.

"A tail." Kira replies proudly.

**~O~**

Liam and Scott are explaining to Coach why Scott and Kira missed the game. Liam says they went down to Mexico to drive them back, and that's why they all missed practice.

Coach glares Liam into silence and then turns to Scott. "You took Kira on a date to Mexico?"

"It was our first real date." Scott offers.

"In Mexico," Coach reiterates.

"They wanted to do something special," Liam adds.

Coach says, "I believe you."

"Really?" Liam asks.

"Absolutely not. I've had experiences south of the border that would knock the genitals off of you boys. Still. Let me be clear to you." he continues looking at Scott. "This kid is the best talent I've seen in years. So he's your responsibility now. You boys are gonna stick together. You're gonna look out for each other. You're gonna have each other's backs."

Scott grins at Liam and agrees.

**~O~**

Danny and the Argent-Hale part of the Beacon Hills Pack are gathered around his computer. He is trying to hack the Federal database to figure out what the federal government knows about the Desert Wolf.

They are able to figure out through several classified documents and videos that apparently the government had video of a figure known only as the Desert Wolf who has been assassinating both werewolf packs and other supernatural groups across the country using that moniker. More curiously, certain hunter families have also been eliminated. When Chris has Danny put the names of the various groups on the screen.

Chris says he recognizes the names as those who actually follow the code more closely. As in they only attack Packs and other supernatural's who actually do harm to the human population, not just because they are supernatural.

The Packs and groups of supernatural's who were attacked were well established and stable, I.e. not killing any and all who came within their range. The subject is usually wearing a hoody to obscure his face and always seems to know where the hidden cameras are actually hidden. Then Danny notices something, the hand holding a sword, the hand was wrinkled, liver spotted with age and yet strong.

"It can't be," Chris says leaning forward staring at the screen as if willing the figure there to turn and face the camera. Even though he had failed to do so for the last two hours of footage they had seen.

"Chris he wouldn't, he can't be…" Peter tried to reassure, but after what they had gone through even he couldn't muster the encouraging tones needed.

"It's Gerard, isn't it?" Allison asked seriously. "Isn't it?"

**~O~**

When they get back from Mexico, the Alpha Pair call a Pack meeting and make sure to invite the Elders of the Pack and even Oded is invited. Stiles and Derek explain their decision on what to do with the left over Dead Pool money. Which is actually most of it, after Danny does his magic and tracks it down online and is able to siphon it back out of the off shore accounts.

Stiles can't believe he has to explain the whole buried bones theory to everyone again, except for Scott this time. So they all go to the bank including a small contingent from Satomi's Pack, Cassidy's Pack and the Hale Pack. They are all in the bank with several gym bags full of money. When several armed masked men barge into the bank and start yelling they are there to rob the bank. Stiles, Scott, Derek and all the others just start staring at each other with raised eye brows, smirks, even downright evil grins especially from Erica, Aiden, and of course Peter.


End file.
